Clippers Injury Report vs. Bucks: LA Has Major Advantage Over Milwaukee

The Los Angeles Clippers hope to extend their win streak to five games on Sunday afternoon when they take on the Milwaukee Bucks. After an improbable win over the Pacers on Friday, the Clippers now have the inside track to win the No. 8 seed in the West. With eight games remaining in the regular season, as long as the Clippers beat teams they are supposed to beat, they should feel good about their chances of making the playoffs.

The first team that the Clips are supposed to beat is the Milwaukee Bucks. Not only do the Bucks not have anything to play for as they have been eliminated from postseason contention, but they are also at a rest and health disadvantage. The Bucks hosted the Spurs on Saturday, losing to them by 32. On the second leg of a back-to-back, Milwaukee has an extensive injury list.

Bucks Are Seriously Short-Handed vs. the Clippers on Sunday

In addition to the continued absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks will be without Kevin Porter Jr., Bobby Portis, and Gary Harris. Kyle Kuzma, Ryan Rollins, and Myles Turner are listed as questionable heading into the game. This will leave the Bucks severely short-handed as they are expected to start the likes of Ousmane Dieng and Pete Nance.

Plus, the Bucks have little incentive to try to win against the Clippers. They currently have the tenth-best odds in the NBA Draft, and they will try their best to maximize their chances in the lottery by winning as few games as possible down the stretch.

For the Clippers, things are continuing to look up. Kawhi Leonard, Darius Garland, and John Collins, who have popped up on the injury report in one way or another over the past two weeks, are all fully healthy and should play their usual workload. In fact, the only Clipper on the injury report besides the usual absences of Bradley Beal and Yanic Konan Niederhauser is Isaiah Jackson. The backup center is listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain.

Jackson's absence could be a problem as the Clippers are already lacking in frontcourt depth. If Jackson misses time, head coach Ty Lue will have to rely more heavily on small-ball lineups with Collins and Nicolas Batum at the five.

This shouldn't be a big issue against the Bucks. The Clippers should still have enough to take care of business in Milwaukee. When they host the Blazers on Tuesday in perhaps the most important game of the rest of the season, the Clippers would love to be at full strength. The first injury report after the Bucks game, therefore, will be of utmost importance.