The Milwaukee Bucks hit the road after a preseason-opening win against the Chicago Bulls on Sunday to take on the Memphis Grizzlies. Will this be the preseason debuts of Giannis, Cam Payne, and Damian Lillard?
Bucks Sit Stars on Sunday
Head coach Adrian Griffin did not have Giannis, Payne, AJ Green, Chris Livingston or Damian Lillard play in the 105-102 victory over the Bulls, but the team really didn’t need those players out on the court to come out on top.
Without these players on the court, the Bucks were still able to produce a ton of shots, especially MarJon Beauchamp who put up 18 points, nine rebounds and three assists. Andre Jackson Jr made his Bucks debut with four points, four rebounds and three assists, respectively.
The Bucks haven’t really given a clear date on when players such as Payne and Lillard will make their debuts, but seeing as they didn’t do team workouts and pickup games in September, the team was playing it safe. Both Lillard and Payne were late September pickups, but they were able to get into training camp and work out with the team.
When Will Khris Middleton Make his Season Appearance?
Khris Middleton has yet to fully recover from the reoccurring knee problem that he has been dealing with since last season. Earlier this year, Middleton underwent surgery for his knee, and has been working hard to be 100%. While he’s been active in training camp, the Bucks have yet to see him practice in full with the team; He’s been limited to individual drills.
Middleton did not practice on Monday, meaning the chance of seeing him suit up and be on the court for Tuesday’s game are very slim. Coach Griffin did say that Middleton’s absence was planned on Monday and it was nothing more than a scheduled day off, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
As for a timetable on when he’ll fully return, there hasn’t been much said about an exact point for the Bucks’ forward.
Giannis and Lillard Practice on Monday
A highlight: Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard both practiced on Monday with the team. As far as them making their preseason debuts is unclear, but there’s a chance the two could be suited up ready to go. Though, Milwaukee could be playing it safe and waiting until the regular season for these two to make their debut as they don’t want to risk injury or something happening to either one of their stars.
The Memphis Grizzlies are coming off a 127-122 win against the Indiana Pacers and starters Jaren Jackson Jr (18 points, five rebounds), and Desmond Bane (17 points, four assists, four rebounds) were active and likely going to be playing against Milwaukee.
Where to Watch:
The Milwaukee Bucks look to make their preseason record 2-0 as they face off with the Grizzlies on Tuesday night. You can watch on Bally Sports Wisconsin, or the NBA League Pass with the action kicking off at 7:00PM CST.
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