The Dallas Mavericks host the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Dallas Mavericks play Monday night and the meet up of the two teams is a clash of two very different seasons.
The Bucks are 6-4 and while they've shown glimpses of prowess, they've also struggled to find any momentum or chain together a significant winning streak. The Mavericks are 3-7 and while coming off a win, have been treading water since the season began. The absence of Kyrie Irving has deprived Dallas of their best player and left their season in limbo.
Dallas has the home court advantage on, but they also have the injury disadvantage when comparing what each roster is working with.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts after scoring his 20,000th career point in the third quarter against the Dallas Mavericks at Fiserv Forum. Benny Sieu-Imagn ImagesBucks Injury Report
Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is PROBABLE for Monday night's game.
The Bucks star has been dealing with patellar tendinopathy, a condition also called "jumper's knee," which is described as a pain in the lower knee that's caused or exacerbated by running or jumping. This condition should come as no surprise considering Antetokounmpo's 6'11 frame and his dominant, high-flying physical style of play.
Kevin Porter Jr. (knee) and Taurean Prince (neck) are both OUT against the Mavericks. Prince is suffering from a herniated disk in his neck that has already kept him out for two games. He is slated to miss a "significant" period of time due to the condition, with no timetable on his return.
Porter Jr. underwent successful meniscus surgery on November 3 and is slated to be reevaluated in four weeks before he returns to the court in any capacity.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Kevin Porter (3) grabs a rebound against Dallas Mavericks forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (8) in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Benny Sieu-Imagn ImagesMissing both Prince and Porter Jr. leaves a gaping hole in the Bucks' support staff. The burden will be on Antetokoumpo even more than usual to lead the Bucks on both ends of the court and players like Kyle Kuzma and AJ Green to fill in the gaps as well.
Mavericks Injury Report
The Mavericks have a somewhat tougher issue on their hands when it comes to injuries.
Dante Exum (knee) will be OUT on Monday for injury management reasons to protect his right knee. Exum has yet to play this season due to the issues stemming from his knee injury and it seems the Mavericks are considering his return on a day-to-basis based on his condition, though they've clearly in no rush to force him onto the court.
Daniel Gafford (ankle) is QUESTIONABLE to play due to a sprained right ankle. Gafford exited the Maverick's Friday night loss to the Memphis Grizzlies because of his ankle, though he did appear in the team's Saturday night win over the Washington Wizards, playing 19 minutes and scoring eight points.
Dallas Mavericks forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (8) drives for the basket against Milwaukee Bucks center Jericho Sims (00) in the third quarter at Fiserv Forum. Benny Sieu-Imagn ImagesAnthony Davis (calf) is QUESTIONABLE to play against the Bucks. Davis hasn't played since Oct. 29 because of a left calf strain, but the upgrade to his status could be a good sign for a possible return, even if it doesn't happen by Monday's game.
Kyrie Irving (knee) remains OUT as he recovers from the surgery to repair his torn ACL that prematurely ended his 2024-25 season. There's no clear timeline on his return.
Dereck Lively (knee) II is DOUBTFUL to play due to a right knee sprain that has kept him out of action since Oct. 26.