Milwaukee Bucks Injury Report (Dec 2): Latest update on Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard's availability
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are expected to participate in the Milwaukee Bucks' upcoming game against the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday, December 2. However, Adrian Griffin's team will be without Jae Crowder and Pat Connaughton due to injuries.
Rookie defensive wing Andre Jackson Jr. is questionable heading into the contest. Milwaukee will be looking to bounce back from a humbling defeat against a Chicago Bulls team that was missing Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan from its rotation.
The Bucks haven't looked like the all-conquering unit many expected them to be. Their defense looks susceptible on the perimeter, and the offensive system hasn't clicked yet. Of course, a lot of this was to be expected. Milwaukee has a new head coach who is implementing new ideas.
It takes time for those ideas to become second nature, especially for a team that spent so long playing a read-and-react system under Mike Budenholzer. Then, there's the addition of Lillard, who has instantly become a second option for the franchise and requires a significant amount of touches to be effective.
Khris Middleton looks a step slower
Khris Middleton has been a swing factor for the Milwaukee Bucks in recent years. His sharpshooting and ability to punish closeouts have provided elite floor spacing for Giannis Antetokounmpo over the years.
However, injuries appear to have caught up with the veteran wing. He doesn't appear to have the quick first step of years past and isn't converting his perimeter shots at the same deadly clip. In his first 15 games of the season, Middleton is shooting 31.6% from deep on 3.8 attempts per game.
For the Bucks to be a legitimate contender, they need Middleton to play at a borderline All-Star level, which is the level they got from him during their championship run of 2021-22. Without Middleton being an elite third star, Milwaukee's chances of winning a championship take a big hit.
Furthermore, his three-year $93 million contract has just kicked in, which has limited the Bucks' ability to make trades to help shore up their roster.
The Bucks are tied to Middleton, which means he needs to begin raising his production level. Otherwise, a promising season could end with another tough playoff run that ultimately amounts to nothing.