Coming off a beatdown from the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, the Milwaukee Bucks will have little time to regroup with the Washington Wizards coming to town Saturday.
As the Bucks aim to get back into the win column, they will face some injury questions that likely won't be answered until just before tip-off. That said, let us break down the injury reports for both the Bucks and Wizards.
Bucks injury report
Probable: Khris Middleton (Bilateral ankle surgery)
Questionable: Giannis Antetokounmpo (Back spasms)
Out: AJ Johnson, Chris Livingston, Tyler Smith (G-League), Damian Lillard (Right calf strain)
The Milwaukee Bucks clearly missed Damian Lillard's scoring and playmaking in the loss Friday night, and they will be without it once again against Washington. Ryan Rollins, who only saw mop-up time in the loss to Cleveland, should see some extended minutes in this one to give the Bucks someone who can handle the ball and create plays at the point guard slot.
Meanwhile, the Bucks could also be without another star in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is battling back spasms. If Antetokounmpo and Lillard both sit, things will certainly be tougher for Milwaukee, and Khris Middleton, who is probable, will have to shoulder significant responsibility as the main scorer and orchestrator of the offense. Time will tell if the Greek Freak gives it a go.
Wizards injury report
Out: Saddiq Bey (Left knee ACL surgery), Kyle Kuzma (Left rib sprain)
On the other side of things, the Wizards have a much shorter and more conclusive injury report for this clash. Bey hasn't played at all this season, but Kuzma is Washington's second-leading scorer on the season, trailing only Jordan Poole, so they will need to make up for his absence in the scoring department elsewhere.
Keys for the Milwaukee Bucks
In the first game against the Bucks on November 30, Poole led the way for Washington with 31 points, while former Buck Malcolm Brogdon poured in 29. This time around, the Milwaukee Bucks have to do a better job of hounding these two. Andre Jackson Jr. and AJ Green will certainly spend time across from these two defensively, but the aforementioned Rollins should also get in on the action.
Whether the Milwaukee Bucks are without one or both of their top two players, someone will have to pick up the scoring slack. Khris Middleton is the obvious name, but this would be a great opportunity for Taurean Prince and Bobby Portis to snap out of recent slumps. A vintage Gary Trent Jr. game may also go a long way if he gets hot.
Antetokounmpo's status will be a prominent factor to monitor in the coming hours.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.