Is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing tonight against the Detroit Pistons? | January 23rd, 2023 | 2022-23 NBA Season

Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks(29-17) will be in action Monday night as they are slated to take on the Detroit Pistons(12-36). The two-time MVP has missed the past five games but could make his return to action in this matchup.

Per the latest injury report, Giannis Antetokounmpowill be playing against Detroit Pistons. While the Bucks were confident this injury wasn't serious, they still opted to proceed with extreme caution. After being sidelined for nearly two weeks, the All-Star forward appears ready to rejoin his team on the floor.

Before getting injured, Giannis was in the midst of another MVP season. He was averaging 31 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, and the Bucks were near the top of the standings. The Philadelphia 76ers have jumped ahead of the Bucks in the Eastern Conference standings thanks to their 2-3 record over the last five games.

Despite only being out for a short time, Giannis and the Bucks have plenty of time to recover. They are 12 games above .500 and only one game behind second place in the standings. Milwaukee can easily go on a quick run to get their season back on track with their star player nearing his return to play.

The Milwaukee Bucks picked a good game to bring Giannis Antetokounmpo back

Looking at their recent schedule, the Milwaukee Bucks timed their return plan for Giannis Antetokounmpo perfectly. The Detroit Pistons are one of the weaker teams in the league this season, making it a good opportunity for the two-time MVP to easily get back in rhythm.

The Pistons are last in the Eastern Conference with a record of 12-36. On top of that, they have only won three of their last ten games. Given their recent struggles, this should allow Giannis and the Bucks an easy chance to get him back in the flow of things without having to over-exert him.

Getting Giannis back in action against a team like the Pistons is crucial because the road ahead for Milwaukee is only going to get tougher. Some of their upcoming opponents include the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, LA Clippers, Miami Heat, and LA Lakers.

If Giannis Antetokounmpo wants to assert himself back in the MVP conversation, this is the stretch to do it. Returning to action and leading the charge for his team against this string of opponents should get him back in the mix of frontrunners for the award.