Is Giannis Antetokounmpo Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Bucks vs. Wizards)

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to action from a multi-game absence on Thursday night in the Bucks' first game out of the All-Star break against the Los Angeles Clippers.

Antetokounmpo has been dealing with a calf strain, and he didn't play his usual role on Thursday night. After the win over the Clippers, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers admitted that Antetokounmpo was on a minutes limit -- though he declined to talk further about it.

Doc Rivers asked reporters to not ask about Giannis Antetokounmpo's minutes limit because he thought the box score revealed what it was (24 min/ 6 per quarter).

He said the original plan was for GA to play the first 4 minutes and last two minutes of Q4.
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) February 21, 2025

Now, the Bucks have a quick turnaround against the Eastern Conference's worst team -- the Washington Wizards -- on Friday night. The Bucks have listed Giannis as probable for tonight's game, but it's still possible that he'll be on a minutes limit.

Oddsmakers at DraftKings have set the Bucks as six-point favorites in this matchup, but it's worth noting that while Antetokounmpo appears to be in line to play, Damian Lillard has been ruled out tonight.

Here's a breakdown of my favorite prop bet for Giannis if he does suit up on Friday night.

Best Giannis Antetokounmpo Prop Bet for Bucks vs. Wizards

Giannis Antetokounmpo UNDER 28.5 Points (-105)

Yes, this is technically a great matchup against the weak Washington defense, but Antetokounmpo was on a minutes limit on Thursday night and scored 23 points in 24 minutes.

It appears that the two-time MVP will play in this game, but if he’s going to have limited minutes, this prop is way too high for him – even against the Wizards.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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Find Peter Dewey's NBA betting record here (futures included). You can also follow my daily plays on BetStamp here.

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