The Milwaukee Bucks will face the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday in the tail-end of a back-to-back after beating the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. Giannis Antetokounmpo actually had a rather quiet game, finishing with just 16 points in 28 minutes of action. The Greek Freak missed Wednesday's contest due to a calf injury but that problem appears to be all cleared up. That being said, is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing vs Mavs?

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Giannis Antetokounmpo injury status vs Mavs

Giannis was initially listed as probable for this matchup, as reported by Underdog NBA. The big man is dealing with some knee soreness but was largely expected to suit up for the second day in a row. With that being said, Bucks head coach Adrian Griffin confirmed prior to tip-off versus the Mavs that the Greek Freak is indeed playing, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.

Antetokounmpo has featured in 11 of a possible 12 games in 2023-24, averaging 28.3 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 4.1 assists. He ranks eighth in the Association in scoring.

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Antetokounmpo was actually deemed questionable for the In-Season clash with the Hornets. However, the calf issue didn't hamper him as he ended up playing 28 minutes, although his usual dominant numbers weren't there.

The pairing of Giannis and Damian Lillard has been electric offensively thus far, but the Bucks are struggling on the opposite end of the floor, sitting 22nd in defensive rating. Remember, Milwaukee is usually very stout defensively. They've yet to find a rhythm.

Saturday's contest against the Mavs won't be an easy one. Luka Doncic and Co. are 9-3 and continue to look very solid, with the Slovenian Sniper averaging over 30 points per night.

So with regards to the question, is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing tonight? The answer is a big YES!