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Big man Bobby Portis Jr. to miss at least two weeks with right MCL and ankle sprain

Injuries have been tough on the Milwaukee Bucks this season.
Matthew Dugandzic|
Big man Bobby Portis Jr. to miss at least two weeks with right MCL and ankle sprain
Big man Bobby Portis Jr. to miss at least two weeks with right MCL and ankle sprain

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Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks will traverse the next few weeks without reliable big man Bobby Portis Jr., who the team announced would miss at least two weeks because of a sprained right ankle and MCL. This development is unfortunate for a Bucks squad that, for the first time in a while, had a complete roster with the return of All-Stars Khris Middleton and Giannis Antetokounmpo from injury.

The injury bug continues to haunt the Bucks

Prior to his injury in their last game versus the Detroit Pistons, Portis had been a key component in the Bucks' roster, having played in every single game this season. Fans also have to take note that Portis is set to be re-evaluated after two weeks, which means he could miss more time. That’s not exactly good news for a Milwaukee team that had already experienced its fair share of bad luck with injuries this season, with Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Jrue Holiday all missing significant chunks of action due to separate injuries.

Portis has been consistent off the bench, averaging a double-double of 14.4 points and 10.1 rebounds in just 26 minutes of playing time. In fact, Portis is fourth on the list of league leaders for double-doubles this season with 29. On that list, he is the only player coming off the bench.

Big hole to fill

Portis' absence leaves the Bucks with a big hole to fill in their rotation. With the Bucks lacking any true backup center on the roster, it’s likely that either Giannis or Pat Connaughton will have to take on an expanded role in his absence. In the Bucks' first game, since Portis got sidelined, Connaughton stepped up in a huge way, tallying 19 points and 12 rebounds.

Whether it's Connaughton or fellow veteran Joe Ingles, what's certain is that it will take a collective effort to make up for the loss of Portis.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.