Is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing tonight against Portland Trail Blazers? Latest on Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar’s status (Nov. 26)

The Central Division-leading Milwaukee Bucks (11-5) will play the Portland Trail Blazers on Sunday at home, with Giannis Antetokounmpo listed as probable to play. As per ESPN, the availability of the “Greek Freak” for the game at hand is still to be determined over “a non-COVID illness” he has been dealing with of late.

The two-time league MVP played in their last game against the Washington Wizards on Friday, which turned out historic with three Bucks players scoring 30-plus points each, including Antetokounmpo with 31. The others were Brook Lopez (39) and Damian Lillard (31) as Milwaukee won, 131-128, in their NBA In-Season Tournament game.

In the ongoing season, Giannis Antetokounmpo is having another solid campaign, averaging 29.7 points, 10.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest in 33 minutes of play.

If the one-time NBA champion does not play, it will mark the second time he will be missing a game this season after that against the Toronto Raptors on November 15. The Bucks, however, won that game, 128-112.

Incidentally, Sunday’s game will be the first for Lillard against his former team. ‘Dame’ was acquired by the Bucks from the Trail Blazers in the offseason by way of a blockbuster deal, which also involved the Phoenix Suns.

The possible exclusion of Antetokounmpo will make it more challenging for the Bucks as fellow All-Star Khris Middleton (Achilles) is also set to miss the game.

Jae Crowder, too, is out for at least eight weeks after undergoing surgery for the left adductor and abdominal tear he suffered recently in a game against the Orlando Magic.

Giannis Antetokounmpo cautions Bucks that things could only get tougher

The Milwaukee Bucks have been playing well early in the ongoing NBA season but resident superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo warned that things could only get tougher for them moving forward and that they should guard against complacency.

The 11-year-old veteran made the statement over X (formerly Twitter) after their impressive 131-128 victory over the Washington Wizards on Friday in an NBA In-Season Tournament game.

Giannis Antetokounmpo wrote:

“They are going to keep coming for us. We just got to keep moving forward.”

The win saw three Milwaukee players score 30 or more points each, namely, Brook Lopez (39 points), Antetokounmpo (31) and Damian Lillard (31). It marked the first time in Bucks history that three players scored 30-plus points in the same game.

It also pushed the Bucks to a 3-0 record in In-Season play under East Group B, in prime position to book a spot in the knockout phase.

They finish their group assignments on Tuesday against the Miami Heat (2-1), one of the teams in hot pursuit of them, along with the New York Knicks (2-1).