Injuries are looming large for both teams as the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers prepare to face off on Wednesday.
It had already been reported that the Bucks would be without Khris Middleton, who is still recovering from duel offseason ankle procedures, but they will not be the only team short-handed. It has been announced that Philadelphia will be without both Paul George and Joel Embiid, who are coming back from injuries.
Embiid is ramping up his basketball activity but is simply not ready to go yet. Meanwhile, George is on the road to recovery after suffering an hyperextended knee in the NBA preseason.
While those two missing this contest will certainly take some air out of this matchup, the Bucks still must not take their foot off the gas.
The Bucks' gameplan will change, but their goal will not
Kicking the season off against the newly-formed trio of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George would have been a great test for the Bucks, given the star power they possess. That will have to wait for another day, but the 76ers will not be going down without a fight. With Maxey still in the lineup, the bulk of the Milwaukee Bucks' focus defensively will now be given to him.
With Maxey set to star for Philadelphia, two Bucks worth watching closely on Milwaukee's end in this one are Gary Trent Jr. and Delon Wright. The Bucks need both of these players to be reliable on the defensive end throughout their 2024-25 campaign, and going up against an All-Star guard in Maxey will be a good test as they look to start the season off with a bang.
Even with Embiid and George out, this will not be a "gimme" game for the Milwaukee Bucks. The 76ers have a scrappy roster thanks to the likes of returning veterans Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kyle Lowry, along with experienced newcomers Reggie Jackson, Andre Drummond and Caleb Martin, who could still put up a strong fight against the Bucks.
The Milwaukee Bucks cannot take their opponent, short-handed or not, lightly as they aim to start the new season off on the right foot.
The 2024-25 NBA season has not even started yet, but injuries are already playing a significant role for both teams and will be the biggest storyline to follow throughout the year.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.