ORLANDO – The Milwaukee Bucks ruled Giannis Antetokounmpo out for their game against the Orlando Magic with a non-COVID-19 illness on Tuesday afternoon. He was initially listed as likely to play with right knee soreness.
The team also ruled out all-star point guard Jrue Holiday with neck soreness. He began the day as doubtful to play.
“Visiting him a little bit, I think it’s just coming along, so I don’t think it was — so if it was incident-based, I don’t think it was the Washington game — it’s just gotten friendly. of progressively worse ,” Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Hopefully it’s short-term. We’ll just see how he does day-to-day.”
Khris Middleton made his first start since December 15th.
The Bucks face the Magic at 6:00 PM at the Amway Center.
This will be the 13th game Antetokounmpo misses and the 12th for Holiday. They’ve only dropped the same game four times, and the Bucks are 2-2 in those contests.
Bucks sign Lindell Wigginton to two-way contract
The Bucks maxed out their roster on Tuesday by signing guard Lindell Wigginton to a two-way contract, filling the spot left vacant when the team waived Sandro Mamukelashvili. Wigginton had played the entire season with the Wisconsin Herd, averaging 18.6 points and 5.8 assists in 35 games. He played in 19 games with the Bucks last season while also on a two-way deal.
“We’re big fans of Lindell the player first and foremost, but also the person,” Budenholzer said. “He’s great with our guys, our guys; there’s a comfort level with him. I think he earned a lot of our trust and respect when he played with us last year. He can do things, played with the pack in G League , so it made sense, so it was a good addition for us. The timing, the fact that he was here and played in Orlando this morning in a game now will be appropriate and ready to play tonight. We have watched and seen him of course and now it’s good to add him to the group.’
Wigginton was in Orlando with the Herd when the team played the Magic’s G League affiliate earlier Tuesday afternoon.
Buck’s injury report
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (non-COVID illness), out
- Jrue Holiday (neck soreness), out
- Wesley Matthews (right calf strain), out
- Goran Dragić (left knee soreness), out”I think he will go with our medical group, some kind of test, see where everything is and then work on strength and specific things, I think we hope that he will very soon be in a good place and be available and ready to help,” Budenholzer said.
Who will play the Bucks next?
Milwaukee heads home to play Brooklyn on Thursday night. The new Nets pushed the Bucks to the limit in New York on February 28. The Nets have seen Mikal Bridges and Cam Johnson thrive in new roles since being acquired in the Kevin Durant trade, and center Nic Claxton is having a strong defensive season.
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