The Milwaukee Bucks face the Golden State Warriors on Friday night in a showdown that could feature Stephen Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo. However, the Bucks star missed Thursday's game against the Brooklyn Nets with a hand injury, and he is questionable for Friday's contest, according to the official NBA injury report.
The Bucks managed to sustain a wild, unbelievable bench performance from the Nets and get a 118-113 win, and the hope is Giannis can suit up against the Warriors.
Giannis Antetokounmpo last played on March 6 against the Washington Wizards and scored 23 points with 13 assists and nine rebounds in the win, and his absence on Thursday night was surprising.
In the Bucks' win over Brooklyn, Bobby Portis came through big with 28 points and 13 rebounds, and Brook Lopez pulled off an absurd stat line of 24 points, 10 rebounds, and nine blocks in a near triple-double.
This Bucks team is much different without Giannis, and Khris Middleton struggled from the field against the Nets, scoring just 11 points on 5-19 shooting.
The Bucks are starting a three-game road trip and face the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns before returning home, so they need Giannis to suit up to have a chance at heading back to Milwaukee with a couple of wins.
The good news is that the Bucks are 2.5 games ahead of the Boston Celtics for the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a month left in the season, and taking care of their superstar's health is the top priority for the team.