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Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Status For Bucks vs Heat

Will the two-time MVP, dealing with a lingering ailment, suit up?
Alex Kirschenbaum|
Feb 13, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives to the basket against Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) in the first half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images
Feb 13, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives to the basket against Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (13) in the first half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

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Milwaukee Bucks

Will two-time Milwaukee Bucks league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, dealing with a lingering ailment, suit up for Thursday's matchup against a Miami Heat squad missing its best player?

According to the Bucks' official X account, the eight-time All-Star is trending towards suiting up, even as he deals with a right patella tendinopathy.

Former three-time All-Star small forward Khris Middleton, now a bench player for the Bucks, is also considered probable to play. Milwaukee is exercising caution with its $31.7 million swingman as he recuperates from offseason surgeries to both ankles.

Only one rotation piece for the Bucks, reserve shooting guard AJ Green, has officially been sidelined for the matchup. Head coach Doc Rivers' new replacement for former crucial championship reserve swingman Pat Connaughton is dealing with a right quad strain.

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Missing Antetokounmpo would prove incredibly costly for the Bucks' chances against Miami, who have frequently been Milwaukee's kryptonite since Butler and swingman Tyler Herro arrived in the summer of 2019.

The 6-foot-11 superstar has enjoyed a masterful individual season for Milwaukee, and leads the entire league with 3,489,956 All-Star fan votes, as of last week.

Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic, the reigning NBA MVP and a winner of three of the last four such honors, has the second-most fan votes (again, as of last week) with 2,924,436.

Miami, however, will be without its own best two-way force and future Hall of Fame forward, six-time All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler. The 35-year-old vet isn't hurt, however. Butler has been suspended by his own team, for the second time this season. His current two-contest suspension is a result of him allegedly missing a team plane.

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The Heat will likely start second-year wing Jaime Jaquez Jr., an All-Rookie First Teamer in 2023-24, to suit up for Butler.

Happily, it appears unlikely the Bucks will need to promote a reserve to their starting lineup for Antetokounmpo.

Across 35 healthy contests for the 24-17 Bucks, the 30-year-old is averaging 31.5 points on 60.5 percent field goal shooting and 58.7 percent free throw shooting, 12.0 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.4 blocks and 0.8 steals a night.

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Alex Kirschenbaum
ALEX KIRSCHENBAUM

Currently also a scribe for Newsweek, Hoops Rumors, The Sporting News and "Gremlins" director Joe Dante's film site Trailers From Hell, Alex is an alum of Men's Journal, Grizzlies fan site Grizzly Bear Blues, and Bulls fan sites Blog-A-Bull and Pippen Ain't Easy, among others.

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