76ers Rival Report: Milwaukee Bucks Take Tough Injury Hit

The Milwaukee Bucks are dealing with a notable injury concern this week. According to Shams Charania of The Athletic, Milwaukee center/forward Bobby Portis has suffered a knee injury. He’s been diagnosed with an MCL sprain and is guaranteed to miss time.

The 27-year-old standout participated in Milwaukee’s January 23 matchup against the Detroit Pistons. In the 23 minutes he spent on the floor, Portis chucked up 12 shots from the field, draining eight of his attempts. He finished the game with 18 points while collecting ten rebounds.

Unfortunately, his solid outing in Detroit came with a price to pay, as Portis is slated to miss time for the Bucks moving forward.

This season, Portis has appeared in 47 games, drawing 14 starts. He’s averaged 27 minutes on the court and puts up 14 points per game while coming down with ten rebounds per game. As one of Milwaukee’s most consistent producers, leading the team’s second unit, the absence of Portis will be notable.

The Impact on the 76ers and the East

All season long, the Bucks have been near the top of the Eastern Conference. While the Boston Celtics have led the charge throughout the entire season, Milwaukee has been right behind them. Lately, though, the Philadelphia 76ers have entered the conversation.

With a red-hot December performance and a stellar January, the Sixers recently surpassed the Bucks for the second seed in the East. Currently, the Sixers are a half-a-game in front of the Bucks with a 30-16 record. Meanwhile, Milwaukee sits in third place with a 30-17 record.

The Bucks remain a talented bunch and shouldn’t see a steep drop without Portis in the lineup. However, their bench will certainly take a hit as the veteran has been relevant in the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year conversation early on in the season.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.