Lost in the excitement surrounding the Green Bay Packers playoff game against the Philadelphia Eagles is the fact that the Milwaukee Bucks also play on Sunday afternoon. They are scheduled for a 2:00 game against the New York Knicks on the road at Madison Square Garden.
At 20-16, Milwaukee is currently fourth in the NBA Eastern Conference following their 109-106 win over the Orlando Magic, who are now 22-18. The upcoming game against the Knicks is crucial to early season standing as New York is 25-14, 3.5 games ahead of the Bucks in the standings.
With the Cleveland Cavaliers (33-4) and the Boston Celtics (27-11) owning the top two seeds in the conference, Milwaukee’s best chance of advancing in the standings is to first overtake the Knicks.
Unfortunately, they will have to try and win on Sunday without two of their key rotation players.
The Milwaukee Bucks Will Not Have Gary Trent Jr. or Ryan Rollins vs the New York Knicks
On Sunday morning, it was revealed that backup point guard Ryan Rollins, who has become a key contributor off the bench, is going to miss Milwaukee’s matchup with New York due to catching the same illness that sidelined Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard for multiple games.
Per the Bucks, Ryan Rollins (Non-Covid Illness) is now out for today’s game at New York. https://t.co/M1IkjDkxq2
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) January 12, 2025
Rollins is averaging 4.5 points, 1.7 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game so far this season, all of which are career highs. He is also shooting 47/39/82 from the floor.
In addition to Rollins now being out with an illness, the Bucks have ruled Gary Trent Jr. out with a hip flexor strain:
Also, on the latest injury report, the Bucks have listed Gary Trent Jr. (left hip flexor strain) as out for today’s game. So, the new injury report looks like this:
Probable:
Antetokounmpo, Lillard, MiddletonOut:
Johnson, Livingston, Rollins, Smith, Trent Jr. https://t.co/M1IkjDkxq2— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) January 12, 2025
Originally signed to be the Bucks’ starting shooting guard, Trent has found a better role coming off of the bench. Despite not starting, he is frequently on the court in clutch moments because of his accurate three-point shooting and tough defense.
After a shockingly cold start to the season, Trent is averaging 9.6 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 0.9 assists while shooting 43/43/90 from the floor.
Only AJ Green and Taurean Prince have a higher three-point field goal percentage on the team than Trent this season.
Without either of these players available, Delon Wright could see some rare minutes backing up Lillard. He has been relegated to the end of the bench following his own slow start to the season.
Additionally, Pat Connaughton, who has also been banished to the garbage time crew, could see playing time in Trent’s role.
A strong performance from him in New York could help boost his trade value, allowing the Bucks to potentially shed his salary.
More Milwaukee Bucks News from Wisconsin Sports Heroics
- Damian Lillard’s Sly Instagram Post May Make Him a Villain to Green Bay Packers Fans
- Giannis Antetokounmpo Brazenly Revels Bucks’ Game Plan Over Next 45 Games
- Bucks Coach Doc Rivers Has High Praise for Magic Star Paolo Banchero
- Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Details How the Magic Make Him Play Differently
- Bucks’ Star Khris Middleton Breaks His Silence on Being Moved to the Bench
For More Great Wisconsin Sports Content
Follow me on Twitter at @theotherRobin19 and follow us @WiSportsHeroics for more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in Wisconsin sports, click here!
