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Bucks Potentially Down Two Stars vs. Knicks

The Milwaukee Bucks may be missing their franchise faces when the New York Knicks visit.
Geoff Maggliocchetti|
Nov 3, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) and forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks on during a timeout in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
Nov 3, 2023; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (0) and forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) looks on during a timeout in the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

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New York Knicks

Friday night's New York Knicks game could be a first-round playoff preview for all the wrong reasons against the Milwaukee Bucks.

Already reeling from the unfortunate news about star shooter Damian Lillard, the Bucks announced that Giannis Antetokounmpo would miss their Wednesday night in Denver (9 p.m. ET, FanDuel Sports Wisconsin). Antetokounmpo is dealing with a left foot sprain as Milwaukee gears up for the final stretch run of the regular season.

The news comes as a visit from the Knicks looms on Friday and that showdown could shift the Eastern playoff picture.

As it stands, the Knicks (45-26) hold the third slot on the Eastern Conference bracket and can clinch their spot among the automatic six squads going to the postseason with a win over the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

If and when the Knicks clinch, the next question regards their first-round opponent. Milwaukee is part of a perspective triumvirate of first-round foes along with the Detroit Pistons and Indiana Pacers. If the season ended today, the Knicks would face the sixth-ranked Pistons, who are technically tied with the Bucks for fifth though the latter is one up in the loss column. New York is three ahead of the fourth-place Indiana Pacers and owns the head-to-head tiebreaker.

Dealing with the respective losses of Antetokounmpo and Lillard (who is said to be out indefinitely) could send the Bucks tumbling down the bracket.

They should be safe from the Play-In Tournament (as they're 5 1/2 games ahead of seventh-place Atlanta with 11 to go) but being situated in sixth could set up a first-round meeting with a Knicks team that has had their number: for all their supposed struggles against the NBA's elite, the Knicks have downed a healthy Milwaukee team by a combined 56 points in two meetings at Madison Square Garden this season.

Antetokounmpo and Lillard aren't the only ones ailing with the Knicks coming to down: the Bucks are still dealing with the loss of Bobby Portis due to a suspension for violating Association anti-drug policies while Jericho Sims remains sidelined by a thumb procedure.

Make sure you bookmark Knicks on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns as and so much more!

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Geoff Magliocchetti
GEOFF MAGGLIOCCHETTI

Geoff Magliocchetti is a veteran sportswriter who contributes to a variety of sites on the "On SI" network. In addition to the Yankees/Mets, Geoff also covers the New York Knicks, New York Liberty, and New York Giants and has previously written about the New York Jets, Buffalo Bills, Staten Island Yankees, and NASCAR.

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