Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo is inching closer, but the Bucks still aren’t ready to greenlight him.
He’s listed as questionable for Friday in New York with a strained left adductor, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
That’s the groin, and it’s kept him out four full games and most of a fifth since November 17 in Cleveland.
Milwaukee has lost all five of those games without him and six straight overall. Doc Rivers said Giannis pushed to play Wednesday in Miami but the team held firm.
“No,” Rivers said when asked about any setback. “I was very uncomfortable with it. He really wanted to push and that’s who Giannis is.
“I was very happy with our medical team today. At the end of the day, let’s wait. We gotta protect him sometimes.”
Giannis turns 31 next week. The Bucks need him right, not just available.
76ers
The injury list in Philadelphia isn’t getting shorter. Joel Embiid has been ruled out again Friday in Brooklyn, marking his ninth straight missed game because of right knee injury management.
He joins Kelly Oubre Jr. (knee) and Trendon Watford (adductor), both already out.
Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe will miss his third straight game with left calf tightness. Paul George is questionable with a right ankle sprain after sitting out Tuesday’s 41-point loss to Orlando, though he did practice Wednesday.
Philly is thin everywhere and needs bodies back fast.
Kings
Sacramento had stabilized with two straight wins after an eight-game slide, but Wednesday brought another thud.
Zach LaVine set the wrong tone immediately, committing turnovers on the Kings’ first two possessions.
They trailed by 25 after one quarter and never led in a 12-point loss, per Chris Biderman of The Sacramento Bee.
“Not good,” LaVine said after finishing with 13 points on 5-of-14 shooting and six turnovers. “We’re frustrated we’re not winning. Guys are frustrated they’re not playing right or playing the way to best suit them.
“We’re all trying our heart out though. That’s what we get paid for.”
Sacramento is searching for consistency. Or any kind of pulse.
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