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Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Staus For Bucks vs Spurs

Will the nine-time All-Star be available against San Antonio?

Alex Kirschenbaum

Jan 8, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives for the basket during the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
Jan 8, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives for the basket during the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
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Will nine-time All-Star Milwaukee Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo be available for Friday's tilt against the San Antonio Spurs?

More Bucks: Milwaukee Point Guard Damian Lillard Selected for 9th Career NBA All-Star Game

Per Eric Nehm of The Athletic, the 6-foot-11 superstar big man has seen his status downgraded to merely probable to play through a right patella tendinopathy. A former three-time Bucks All-Star forward, swingman Khris Middleton, is also considered just probable to suit up as Milwaukee brass keeps a close eye on his progress from a pair of offseason ankle surgeries throughout the year.

Backup shooting guard A.J. Green, meanwhile, has been upgraded to questionable as he continues to grapple with a strained left quadriceps muscle.

More Bucks: Milwaukee Could Be Without Multiple All-Stars in Key Matchup vs Spurs

Three Bucks players have already been ruled out, but only one is a meaningful rotation piece.

Sixth man power forward/center Bobby Portis is that one confirmed impactful absence, due to undisclosed personal reasons. Across 41 healthy games thus far this season, the 6-foot-10 reserve out of Arkansas is averaging 13.4 points on .466/.364/.817 shooting splits, 7.9 boards, 2.0 dimes, 0.7 steals and 0.5 rejections a night in 24.7 minutes per.

Read More: Bucks' Doc Rivers Provides Confusing Answer on Bobby Portis Game Status vs Spurs

Portis may be a big body, but his defensive vulnerabilities have doomed him to a permanent bench role behind Antetokounmpo and two-time All-Defensive center Brook Lopez. Still, Portis is one of the league's top reserves, and has finished among the top nine in Sixth Man of the Year voting three times across the past four years.

He's one of the club's top trade chips heading into Thursday's deadline.

Portis is on an incredibly reasonable $12.6 million contract this season, but has a $13.4 million player option for 2025-26. As a stretch four still close to his prime at age 29, Portis could earn a major pay upgrade on the open market — meaning any team that trades for him will have to be confident it can retain him should he opt out over the summer.

Shooting guard AJ Johnson, two-way center Liam Robbins and power forward Tyler Smith will be getting extended run in the G League, with Milwaukee's NBAGL affiliate squad, the Wisconsin Herd.

Losing Antetokounmpo would be a huge blow for the 26-19 Bucks. The 20-24 Spurs may just be the No. 12 seed in the competitive Western Conference, but San Antonio boasts a certain newly minted All-Star second-year center who could prove to be a matchup nightmare for a Milwaukee club missing one of its top two frontcourt options against Victor Wembaynama.

Through 39 games, Antetokounmpo is averaging a career-best 31.7 points on 60.8 percent shooting from the floor and 58.3 percent shooting from the foul line, along with 12.2 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.3 blocks and 0.7 steals a night.

The 30-year-old pro is the most interior presence in the modern game. He's already one of the most prolific dunkers in history.

Basketball fans would no doubt like to see how he fares on Friday against Wembanyama, who's currently leading the league in blocks with an astounding 3.9 rejections a night.

More Bucks:

Bucks Rumor Indicates Milwaukee Will Make Big Trade

Bucks Predicted to Swap Khris Middleton For $29 Million Forward

For more Bucks news, visit Milwaukee Bucks on SI.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

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