On Thursday night, the hot Milwaukee Bucks will play the Chicago Bulls in the Windy City.
Injury Updates Milwaukee Bucks and Chicago Bulls
The Bucks, who are trying to catch the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference playoff race, will be playing the Bulls, who need a turnaround in the final part of the season.
The Bucks have won 11 games in a row and are now tied with Boston for first place in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls, on the other hand, have had a tough first half of the season because of injuries and inconsistent play.
The Bucks evened their season loss record with the Celtics on Wednesday night by defeating a depleted Boston squad by a final score of 131-125 in overtime.
Even without their second-leading scorer Khris Middleton, the Bucks have climbed back to the top of the NBA standings as the All-Star break approaches.
Jrue Holiday (40 points) and Giannis Antetokounmpo (36 points) were the stars for the Bucks in their overtime victory over the Celtics on Tuesday.
- Giannis Antetokounmpo – Doubt vs. Bulls
Even though his right knee is bothering him, Giannis Antetokounmpo is likely to play against the Bulls on Thursday.
Despite his persistent knee injury, Antetokounmpo has appeared in each of Milwaukee’s last 11 games. If you have the option, you should start the superstar forward in any and all fantasy formats because he is consistently producing at an MVP level.
On Tuesday’s 131-125 overtime win over Boston, he finished with 36 points (12-26 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 11-19 FT), 13 rebounds, nine assists, and two blocks in 46 minutes.
The MVP favorite came close to recording his 33rd triple-double of his career and fourth of the season.
Over the last 10 games, Antetokounmpo has averaged 38.0 points, 13.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, and 1.1 threes on 58.8 percent shooting. He has scored 30 or more points in three consecutive games.
Bucks Injuries: Bobby Portis was ruled out for the Boston game and will likely be rested through the break. Jae Crowder remains out as he prepares for his Bucks debut, some time after the break.
The Chicago Bulls have had a rough first half and were reportedly considering trading away key veterans in order to start fresh before the trade deadline. The Bulls instead kept their core together and will now compete for one of the final three Eastern Conference playoff spots.
The Bulls visited the Indiana Pacers on a Wednesday night in a matchup between two struggling teams. The final score was Pacers 117, Bulls 113.
Bulls Injuries: DeRozan missed the Indiana game with a hip injury and could easily be held out here for added rest thanks to the All-Star break. Alex Caruso and Goran Dragic are both listed as questionable as well.
- Update DeMar DeRozan’s injuries
DeRozan has a Grade 1 thigh strain, according to an MRI performed on him on Tuesday.
The hip injury DeRozan has been playing with for the past month flared up in the third quarter of Monday’s loss to Orlando, and he was forced to leave the game. However, on Tuesday morning, he learned that the tests he had taken had shown positive results, indicating a minor strain in his thigh.
Despite the fact that the injury isn’t considered serious, DeRozan will likely miss at least one game. Donovan didn’t officially rule out the forward for Thursday’s game against Milwaukee, but it makes sense for Chicago to rest the veteran ahead of the All-Star break by keeping him out.
NBA Regular Season Schedule
| Thursday, February 16, 2023 | ||
| AWAY | HOME | TIME / TV |
| Milwaukee | Chicago | 7:30 pm TNT |
| Washington | Minnesota | 8:00 PM |
| L.A. Clippers | Phoenix | 10:00 pm TNT |
