The Bucks have just one player listed as out heading into Friday night's showdown with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Milwaukee Bucks (16-21) will take on the Los Angeles Lakers (23-12) on Friday, January 9 at 10:30 p.m. ET at Crypto.com Arena with a clean bill of health for most of their roster, and that's great news for a team looking to build momentum after a tough stretch.
Only forward Taurean Prince remains sidelined on the injury report, which is the same situation Milwaukee faced in their previous game against the Sacramento Kings.
Giannis Back at Full Strength
The biggest story for Milwaukee is what's not on the injury report, and that's the continued health of star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
The two-time MVP is playing without any designation after missing eight games in December with a right soleus calf strain that sidelined him from December 3 through December 21, and he's looked like his dominant self since returning to action.
Antetokounmpo is averaging 29.5 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game this season, and he'll be crucial for the Bucks as they look to climb out of 11th place in the Eastern Conference standings.
His calf injury earlier this season came at a terrible time for Milwaukee, and the team went just 2-6 without him in the lineup during that stretch, so having him healthy and playing without restrictions is essential for any postseason hopes.
Current State of the Bucks
Milwaukee enters Friday night's contest struggling to find consistency, and the numbers show just how much work needs to be done.
The Bucks are being outscored by 2.3 points per game with a -86 scoring differential overall, putting up 113.3 points per game (25th in the NBA) while allowing 115.6 per contest (14th in the league), and those defensive numbers haven't been good enough for a team with championship aspirations.
The Bucks have also struggled on the glass all season long, losing the rebound battle by an average of 4.0 boards per game.
Milwaukee grabs just 40.4 rebounds per contest (29th in the league) while their opponents pull down 44.4, and Bobby Portis leads the team with 6.5 rebounds per game (44th in the NBA).
One bright spot has been Milwaukee's three-point shooting, as the Bucks make 14.7 threes per game (sixth-most in the league) compared to their opponents' 13.8.
AJ Green paces Milwaukee with 2.9 made three-pointers per game (16th in the NBA), and that outside shooting will need to be sharp against a Lakers team that's been inconsistent defensively.
Lakers Dealing With More Injury Issues
While the Bucks are relatively healthy, their Friday night opponent is dealing with a much longer injury list.
Los Angeles has four players on their injury report including LeBron James (questionable with left foot arthritis), Rui Hachimura (questionable with calf), Austin Reaves (out with calf) and Adou Thiero (out with knee), and the Lakers' availability could be significantly affected if James or Hachimura can't suit up.
Looking Ahead
Friday's matchup against the Lakers represents an important opportunity for Milwaukee to pick up a quality road win against a playoff-caliber opponent, and doing so with a healthy roster gives them their best chance at success.
The Bucks will need Antetokounmpo to continue his elite play while getting strong contributions from their supporting cast like Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr., especially with the Lakers potentially shorthanded.
For a team sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference and struggling with consistency, every game matters at this point in the season.