Milwaukee Bucks Star Ruled Out for Matchup With Detroit Pistons

Bucks to be without one of their stars against the Pistons.

Dec 16, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) drives for the basket against Detroit Pistons guard Jaden Ivey (23) in the first quarter at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Fresh off their overtime victory against the Miami Heat, the Detroit Pistons find themselves with a quick turnaround. They're back in action again on Wednesday night to take on the Milwaukee Bucks.

This is also the second leg of a back-to-back for the Bucks, as they faced off against the Toronto Raptors in NBA Cup action. Giannis Antetokounmpo and his family were also able to secure a victory, picking up 99-85 victory.

When the Bucks take the floor against the Pistons, they will be without one of their top players. All-Star guard Damian Lillard has been ruled out for the contest due to being in concussion protocol. The Bucks star suffered the injury over the weekend in a matchup with the Boston Celtics.

Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has entered the concussion protocol and will be out for Tuesday’s game against the Toronto Raptors.

— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) November 12, 2024

Before getting injured, Lillard was continuing to put up All-Star-level numbers for the Bucks. Through his first 10 games, he is averaging 26.0 PPG and 6.6 APG while shooting just under league average from beyond the arc.

Losing Lillard is a tough blow for the Bucks, as they're not off to the start they might have hoped for. They're not far removed from being on the wrong end of six-game losing streak, and find themselves with a 3-8 record. Giannis and company are still struggling to recover from the rocky start, going 2-2 over their last four matchups.

With Lillard out of action, Doc Rivers has deployed a starting backcourt of Ryan Rollins and AJ Green. Given that these two young players are fairly inexperienced, it opens the door for Cade Cunningham to put together another impressive outing.

Even though Lillard is sidelined, the Pistons cannot overlook this matchup. Giannis is still one of the game's most dominant players, and capable of leading his team to a win on his own.