The Milwaukee Bucks finally have Giannis Antetokounmpo back in the lineup, but the celebration was short-lived. Just before tip-off against the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night, the team announced that guard Kevin Porter Jr. would miss the contest due to significant swelling in his right knee.
While the game is currently a tight battle at Fiserv Forum, with Milwaukee holding a slim 71-66 lead at halftime, the focus is largely on the long-term health of their young guard. Head coach Doc Rivers did not sound particularly optimistic when discussing the injury during his pre-game availability via Eric Nehm on X, formerly Twitter. Rivers noted that the knee has been an issue for about two weeks, but the recent flare-up was severe enough to raise major red flags.
“We're hoping not,” Rivers said when asked about a potentially long absence. “They're gonna do more stuff tomorrow to check, but it's a lot of swelling and then you have concerns. It's been bothering him the last couple of weeks, really, but it just hadn't swollen up the way it has, so there's some concern there”.
The Bucks are desperately trying to stabilize their season and stay in the Eastern Conference play-in race. Having Antetokounmpo back on the floor is a massive boost, but losing Porter Jr., who has been a reliable secondary playmaker averaging 17.5 points and 7.4 assists this season, is a brutal blow. Ryan Rollins has stepped into a larger role tonight to compensate for the loss, as the Bucks look to fend off an Atlanta squad led by Jalen Johnson.
Milwaukee will likely provide a more definitive update after further testing on Thursday. For now, the Bucks are fighting to secure a much-needed home win while holding their breath regarding their backcourt rotation.
