9-1! That is the record that Giannis Antetokounmpo holds against the Sacramento Kings. With an average score of 30.1 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in the last 10 matchups against De’Aaron Fox and co, the ‘Greek Freak’ has ensured to always put out a tough fight against them. Therefore, Giannis can certainly be an efficient force during the upcoming matchup at the Fiserv Forum.

With the Bucks currently holding a 20-17 win record, and placed as the 6^th seed on the Eastern Conference chart, a win is certainly needed to improve their standing for the long term. Fortunately, while nothing can be said about the odds of the upcoming game, fortune at least favors the power forward on the injury front.

According to the Milwaukee Bucks Injury Report, Giannis Antetokounmpo is listed as ‘Probable’ for the upcoming matchup. It is the same status that the player had held before the Bucks’ recent matchups against the New York Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs. If that pattern is any indication, then ‘The Greek Freak’ is certainly expected to turn up at the Fiserv Forum, and compete, within the next few hours.

Since the early stages of the ongoing NBA season, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been suffering from right patellar tendinopathy. The player had also sustained ailments on his knee, calf, and finger, over the last few months. However, the tendinopathy kept recurring, with its discomfort level determining which games Giannis would be able to play.

Fortunately, out of the Bucks’ 37 games, Giannis has only missed 6 this season. The last one was back in late December (Bucks-Bulls). Despite the team’s consistency trouble, Giannis has now managed to create a consistency streak with his appearances. Unless he suffers a separate ailment, the player may not be looking to break it anytime soon.

While the news is positive for Giannis, the same cannot be said for some of his teammates. Gary Trent Jr. had recently sustained a left hip strain, which sidelined him for the matchup against the New York Knicks. Now, the player is listed as ‘Questionable’ on the report. The same status is also held by Ryan Rollins, who may miss his 2^nd consecutive game as he recovers from a non-COVID illness. Meanwhile, Khris Middleton has ben ruled fully ‘OUT’ for the Kings matchup, thanks to his bilateral ankle injury management.

As for the Sacramento Kings, the Western Conference franchise has only one player listed on its report. Malik Monk hasn’t missed a game for the Sacramento Kings since November 24^th. Now, he holds a ‘Questionable’ status after getting diagnosed with a right groin soreness.

In light of these updates, both teams will have to make adjustments to their starting lineups.

What will the starting lineup and depth chart for the Bucks-Kings clash look like?

In the off-chance that Giannis Antetokounmpo will not play, Damian Lillard might carry the offensive load. As for the power forward position, Bobby Portis and Taurean Prince can cover Antetokounmpo’s vacated minutes. Meanwhile, Gary Trent Jr.’s minutes can be covered by Delon Wright, since Khris Middleton will be ‘OUT’. Wright will be backing up Andre Jackson in this situation. While Ryan Rollins’ absence would reportedly not affect the Bucks by much, AJ Green can still cover for him. Lastly, AJ Green and Delon Wright’s minutes can be increased to cover for Khris Middleton too.

Bearing these updates in mind, the starting lineup for the Milwaukee Bucks is expected to look something like this:

Similarly, given the updates for the Sacramento Kings, their starting lineup will look like this:

The Milwaukee Bucks or the Sacramento Kings? Who will you be rooting for during the upcoming matchup? Let us know in the comments section.