Bucks hope to welcome again Giannis towards reeling Hawks

Antetokounmpo has missed the final two video games. He didn’t play on Monday due to proper knee soreness and was a late scratch on Wednesday due to tightness in his left calf. He went by warmups and was within the beginning lineup however was taken to the locker room and didn’t return to the court docket when the gamers had been launched.

He will likely be a game-time resolution on Friday.

“Only a late scratch,” Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers stated. “He examined it out, stated he was good. Suppose he obtained on the ground and did not belief it, so determined to take a seat one other recreation. I do not assume it is severe.”

The Bucks had been in a position to win with out Antetokounmpo and finish a four-game dropping streak on Wednesday after they beat Charlotte 112-102.

The Hawks, who ended an eight-game dropping streak on Monday, couldn’t construct on that success and misplaced 126-125 to San Antonio on Wednesday.

This would be the third assembly of the season between the 2 groups. The Hawks went on the street and beat the Bucks 119-104 on Dec. 4, however Milwaukee returned the favor with a 110-102 win 10 days later within the NBA Cup semifinal in Las Vegas. Milwaukee has received the final two conferences in Atlanta.

Antetokounmpo averages 31.8 factors , 12.2 rebounds and 5.9 assists. In 37 profession video games towards Atlanta, he has averaged 23.7 factors, 9.7 rebounds and 4.6 assists. He scored 31 and 32 factors within the first two conferences towards Atlanta this season.

Damian Lillard logged 29 factors and 12 assists to select up the slack on Wednesday, whereas Bobby Portis chipped in with 23 factors and 17 rebounds.

“I believed everybody stepped up and I do not assume anyone essentially tried to step out of their position,” Milwaukee’s Pat Connaughton stated. “They simply continued to develop of their position.”

The Bucks added three new gamers on the commerce deadline. Milwaukee acquired Kyle Kuzma and Patrick Baldwin Jr. from Washington in change for Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson. In addition they obtained backup middle Jericho Sims from New York for Delon Wright.

In the meantime, Atlanta’s most notable transfer was sending second-leading scorer De’Andre Hunter to Cleveland for Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, three second-round picks and two decide swaps.

The Hawks’ Onyeka Okongwu had his finest recreation of the season towards San Antonio with a career-high 30 factors taking pictures 13-of-16 from the sector and 3-for-5 on 3-pointers to go along with 12 rebounds and 5 assists. He grew to become the primary Hawk to have not less than 30 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists in a recreation this season.

Atlanta coach Quin Snyder famous that Okongwu “is at all times bodily however his instincts are getting higher and higher.

“He is obtained an incredible really feel across the rim, and he is obtained such contact,” Snyder stated. “I used to be glad with the 3s to see him be that aggressive. It is one factor to take actually open ones and it is one other factor to take them after they’re not as open. He was actually definitive in that.”

Oknongwu, the group’s first-round draft decide in 2020, has began the final 10 video games and changed veteran Clint Capela at middle. He’s averaging 14.3 factors, 9 rebounds, 2.9 assists and 1.4 steals throughout that stretch.

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