Bucks Injury Report: Dallas All-Star to Sit Out vs Milwaukee, Others Questionable

The Bucks could catch a major health break on Thursday.

Jun 14, 2024; Dallas, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (11) reacts with Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) during the second half against the Boston Celtics during game four of the 2024 NBA Finals at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks have been dealt a dose of injury luck ahead of their preseason bout against the Dallas Mavericks on Thursday night.

Sources inform NBA insider Marc Stein that Doncic will miss out on his Mavericks' (entirely pointless) final exhibition game of the year. Doncic has suited up for just one practice after incurring a left calf contusion on September 29 during a pickup game.

According to ESPN's NBA Injury Status report, Mavericks combo guard Dante Exum underwent right wrist surgery on October 8, and is expected to be out until January 20. That must be a massive disappointment for a former lottery pick who had salvaged his value for a Finals-bound Dallas squad in 2023-24, serving as a critical point-of-attack defender off the bench.

Eight-time All-Star Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving was rested during the Mavericks' preseason bout with the L.A. Clippers, and is officially listed as day-to-day. Mavericks small forward Kessler Edwards and power forward Maxi Kleber both missed the fun on Monday, too, due to ankle injuries. Both are also considered day-to-day. Only Exum and Doncic have been ruled out of the Bucks-Mavericks bout.

ESPN reports that three-time All-Star small forward Khris Middleton, recuperating from two ankle surgeries this summer, will sit out the last game of the Bucks' preseason. It is hoped that he will return in time for the team's regular season debut on October 23. The 6-foot-7 swingman out of Texas A&M has struggled mightily with health concerns across his past two seasons with the squad, averaging just 15.1 points on .471/.355/.865 shooting splits, 5.2 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 0.8 steals while appearing in an average of 44 regular season games a year.

The 33-year-old is in just the second season of a massive three-year, $93 million deal he inked in free agency last summer. With Middleton not himself and six-time All-Defensive Team standout guard Jrue Holiday now winning championships with the Boston Celtics, the Bucks' perimeter defense has nosedived. All-Star point guard Damian Lillard and this year's minimum-salaried starting shooting guard, Gary Trent Jr., are not exactly intimidating defenders. The team must hope that Middleton can rediscover his All-Star form — and soon.

The Bucks (currently 1-2 this preseason) will be in Dallas at the American Airlines Center, as they battle to keep the Mavericks totally winless. The matchup is set to tip off at 6:30 p.m. CT.

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