Ahead of their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, the Milwaukee Bucks have released their injury report. Damian Lillard has been dealing with a calf strain, and the team has decided to air on the side of caution going into Friday’s contest, ruling him out.
Damian Lillard to Miss Friday’s Game
After being a huge contributor to the Bucks’ win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday, securing the Bucks’ first NBA Cup, Lillard’s absence is a little shocking to see.
Lillard helped secure the 97-81 victory over the Thunder, scoring 23 points and handing out four assists. On his season, he’s averaging 25.7 points per game in an average of 36.4 minutes played per game.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton have also been listed on the injury report, but haven’t been officially ruled out as of Thursday night.
The Bucks have submitted their first injury report for tomorrow night’s game in Cleveland.
Out:
Damian Lillard (Right Calf Strain)
Johnson, Livingston, Smith (G-League)Probable:
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Right Patella Tendinopathy)
Khris Middleton (Non-Covid Illness)— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) December 19, 2024
Middleton is listed as dealing with a non-Covid illness, and Antetokounmpo is dealing with right patella tendinopathy, both are listed as probable.
It’s likely that fans will see Antetokounmpo and Middleton on the court on Friday at some point, but we will not see Lillard suit up. Without Lillard, it’s going to be a huge team effort to gather a win against Cleveland on Friday.
Cleveland is arguably the best team in basketball right now, and the Bucks need to continue to play strong basketball. They displayed their grit and determination in Tuesday’s NBA Cup victory, but that’ll need to carry over into Friday’s contest. After that triumphant win, Milwaukee has put themselves back in the conversation of best teams in the NBA right now.
