The Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns are set to face off on Tuesday night for the final time this season. Milwaukee will be looking to avoid a season series sweep after falling to Phoenix in a closely contested 108-106 matchup last week. That game saw Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Durant lead their respective teams in scoring, but this time around, only one of them will be available. The Bucks have upgraded Antetokounmpo’s status to available, confirming that he will play and start. Initially listed as probable, the two-time MVP has now been cleared. Meanwhile, the Suns will be without Durant, who has been ruled out for at least a week after suffering a left ankle sprain.
Despite his own injury concerns, Antetokounmpo has played through a lingering left foot sprain, missing just one game since the All-Star break. Even while dealing with the issue, he has remained highly productive, averaging 30.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.0 steals per game in his last five outings while logging 33.2 minutes per contest. In his most recent game, a disappointing 145-124 loss to the Atlanta Hawks, he still managed 31 points on 11-of-18 shooting, along with nine rebounds, five assists, and a steal in 30 minutes.
The Suns, on the other hand, will be without their best player as they fight to stay in playoff contention. Durant, a 15-time All-Star and future Hall of Famer, sustained his ankle sprain in a collision with Jabari Smith Jr. during Sunday’s game, forcing him to exit in the third quarter. He had played 23 minutes before his injury, contributing 11 points and eight rebounds. Phoenix currently sits one game outside of the final play-in spot, and with a challenging schedule ahead, they will need a strong push without Durant to stay in the race. If his recovery timeline holds, he could return by April 8, when the Suns face the Golden State Warriors.
Milwaukee enters this matchup as the home favorite, with oddsmakers setting them as 5.5-point favorites. The Bucks are aiming for their 41st win of the season, while the Suns are looking to notch their 36th.
Leave a Reply