Bucks' Doc Rivers Provides Big Injury Update on Crucial Guard
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Could the Milwaukee Bucks be getting some reinforcements soon?
According to The Athletic's Eric Nehm, reserve shooting guard AJ Green has been listed as a game-time decision for the Bucks' Friday road matchup with the San Antonio Spurs due to a strained left quadriceps muscle. Green is now essentially Rivers' Pat Connaughton replacement for the 2024-25 team, even though the actual Connaughton is still on the roster.
After today's practice in San Antonio, Bucks coach Doc Rivers told reporters that he thinks AJ Green (left quad strain) will be a gametime decision tomorrow, but Green went through the team's light practice today.
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) January 30, 2025
Per Nehm, Rivers has revealed that Green did partake in Milwaukee's fairly breezy team practice on Thursday.
That's at least an encouraging sign for the third-year swingman, an undrafted addition out of the University of Northern Iowa.
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Green has fully entrenched himself within this year's roster, after essentially being a part-time player during his first two seasons. Across 38 healthy bouts (four starts), Green is logging averages of 7.9 points on .447/.442/.857 shooting splits, 2.3 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 0.5 steals a night.
AJ Green doing what he does best 😮💨pic.twitter.com/N1RrHdDMfJ
— Bucks Nation (@BucksNationCP) January 15, 2025
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Green has been on the shelf since the Bucks' 130-112 victory against the Toronto Raptors on January 17. In that game, he scored six points on 2-of-4 shooting from the field (all his looks were 3-point attempts), while also chipping in four rebounds, dishing out one dime and swiping a steal.
At 26-19, the Bucks are currently the No. 4 seed in the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee holds a tenuous grip on homecourt advantage with the playoffs now looming. The 26-20 Indiana Pacers are just 0.5 games behind the Bucks, while the 24-24 Orlando Magic and 23-23 Miami Heat are 3.5 games behind.
The Bucks could use Green's sharpshooting expertise sooner rather than later. Another key reserve scorer, Bucks sixth man power forward/center Bobby Portis, has been away from the team for the past week. The 6-foot-10 Arkansas product last played in Milwaukee's January 23 blowout of the Heat. In that game, the Bucks obliterated a Jimmy Butler-less Miami squad, 125-96.
Portis scored 16 points on 7-of-14 shooting from the floor and 2-of-2 shooting from the foul line. He also grabbed eight rebounds and passed for three assists.
Both Green and Portis represent some critical reserve offense for Milwaukee, along with backup sharpshooter Gary Trent Jr. To have any kind of shot in the playoffs, the Bucks will need all three to be available.
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