While Khris Middleton returned to the floor for the first time since February 7, the Milwaukee Bucks were still shorthanded against Phoenix. Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out the game due to hamstring soreness.
Antetokounmpo was initially slated to play, but he was ruled out an hour before tipoff, according to Milwaukee head coach Doc Rivers.
Bucks head coach Doc Rivers says he expects Giannis Antetokounmpo to play today vs. the Suns. https://t.co/1khQOGGBNJ
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) March 17, 2024
It is only the fourth game that Antetokounmpo has missed this season. The Bucks improved to 3-1 in games without Antetokounmpo with their 140-129 victory over the Suns.
Jae Crowder replaced Antetokounmpo in the lineup. Crowder scored 18 points on 7 of 11 shooting, including 4 of 6 from the 3-point line, and recorded a season-high three steals. More importantly, Crowder held Kevin Durant to 11 points on 4 of 10 shooting.
Middleton and Bobby Portis led the Bucks against the Suns, combining for 53 points. Middleton scored 22 points and dished out seven assists in 25 minutes of action. Portis scored a season-high 31 points and grabbed 10 rebounds for his 11th double-double of the campaign.
Antetokounmpo is expected to play on Wednesday when the Bucks (43-24) travel to Boston.
While Antetokounmpo and MarJon Beauchamp were inactive against Phoenix, Malik Beasley played after sitting out the previous game with back spasms. Beasley scored 17 points on 6 of 11 shooting from the field and 5 of 8 from the 3-point line. He has scored in double figures in four straight games, tying his longest stretch of the campaign.
Meanwhile, Beauchamp has not played the last five games. However, he hasn’t been part of the Bucks rotation since early January.
Jayson Tatum Will Play Against Wizards While Jaylen Brown Is Out
The Boston Celtics got good news ahead of their Sunday evening tilt against the Washington Wizards as Jayson Tatum has been given the green light to play. Tatum was reportedly dealing with an ankle impingement, but will make his 31st straight start.
Tatum has shredded the Wizards’ defense this year, totaling 34.0 points and 5.5 assists in two games while shooting 60.5% from the field and 36.8% from the 3-point line.
Still, the Celtics will be without three-fifths of their starting lineup, with Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Derrick White sitting out.
Brown was initially listed as questionable, but the Celtics are taking a cautious approach with his ankle ailment. This is the second time in the past three games that Brown will miss, though both times were part of back-to-backs for the Celtics.
As with Brown, the C’s are being careful with White as he is dealing with a left-hand sprain. It will be White’s fifth absence of the campaign.
Porzingis will miss his fifth straight with a hamstring injury. Porzingis has now sat out 21 games this season.
Brown, Porzingis, and White could play tomorrow when Boston hosts Detroit. In the meantime, Sam Hauser, Oshae Brissett and Al Horford were in the starting lineup tonight for the C’s.
Xavier Tillman, Luke Kornet, and Peyton Pritchard are likely to see an increase in playing time.
Luka Doncic Returns After One Game Absence, Josh Green Out For Atleast A Week
Luka Doncic was in the Dallas Mavericks’ lineup against the Denver Nuggets this afternoon. Doncic missed just one game after tweaking his hamstring against Golden State on Wednesday.
However, the news wasn’t as good for Josh Green. Green sprained his left ankle in the Mavs’ loss to Oklahoma City on Thursday. According to head coach Jason Kidd on Sunday, Green is expected to be out for a couple of weeks.
Mavs wing Josh Green is expected to be sidelined at least a couple of weeks due to his sprained ankle, Jason Kidd said.
— Tim MacMahon (@espn_macmahon) March 17, 2024
Green has been in and out of the Mavericks starting lineup, though he has been a key part of their rotation, posting career-highs in minutes, rebounds, and assists.
Jimmy Butler and Other Heat Injuries
Jimmy Butler sat out today’s game against Detroit due to a right foot contusion. It is the 34-year-old’s 20th game this season. While Butler sat out an extended period due to a foot injury in December and January, he is not expected to miss a considerable amount of time this time around.
Jaime Jaquez Jr. picked up the start in place of Butler against the Pistons.
Butler, who could return tomorrow against Philadelphia, was one of five players ruled out today. Tyler Herro (foot), Kevin Love (heel), Nikola Jovic (hamstring), and Josh Richardson(shoulder) were also sidelined.
Jimmy Butler is now listed as out for the Heat today in Detroit, with a right foot contusion. Also out for Heat: Tyler Herro (foot), Kevin Love (heel), Nikola Jovic (hamstring), Josh Richardson (shoulder), Cole Swider (G League), Alondes Williams (G League).
— Ira Winderman (@IraHeatBeat) March 17, 2024
Love, Butler, and Jovic project to be back in the lineup tomorrow.
Conversely, Anthony Chiang of the Miami Herald reported that Herro received a platelet-rich plasma injection on Friday to treat his injured right foot. Herro will be re-evaluated in one to two weeks.
Other News
Detroit Pistons rookie Ausar Thompson missed his fourth straight game today, sitting out against the Heat due to an illness.
The Los Angeles Clippers could be without James Harden and Norman Powell against Atlanta tonight. Both players are listed as questionable. Harden has missed the past two games due to a shoulder injury. Powell suffered a leg injury in Friday’s loss to New Orleans.
Rudy Gobert (ribs) is considered questionable for Minnesota’s contest against Utah on Monday. Gobert sat out the Wolves victory over the Jazz on Saturday.
Miami Heat Duncan Robinson scored 30 points and drained seven treys in their victory over Detroit. With those seven 3-pointers, Robinson became the fastest player to reach 1,000 in his career. According to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, he was also the fastest to reach 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, and 900 3s.
Today …
— Duncan Robinson became the fastest player to make 1,000 3-pointers.
— Bam Adebayo became the 1,600th-fastest player to make 12 3-pointers.
Both equally important today.
— Tim Reynolds (@ByTimReynolds) March 17, 2024
