MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Bucks were without all five of their regular starters on Friday night, while hosting the Charlotte Hornets one night after losing in Dallas.
Reigning double MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo kicked off his fourth consecutive game with a sore left knee. He missed his sixth game in the last 11.
Jrue Holiday (bruised left knee), Donte DiVincenzo (bruised right hip), Brook Lopez (sore back), Khris Middleton (sore right knee) and reserve forward PJ Tucker (strained left calf) were also declared. Middleton and Lopez were listed as doubtful on Friday afternoon’s injury report, but Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said in his availability at stake that neither would play.
Charlotte is also not near full power.
The Hornets announced Saturday that Gordon Hayward will miss at least a month with a sprained right foot. The candidate of the newcomer of the year, LaMelo Ball, has not been playing since March 20 due to a broken right wrist. Malik Monk was out with a sprained right ankle last week.
The Bucks are returning from a six-game trip in which they are 3-3. They ended the trip by losing 116-101 in Dallas on Thursday.
This will be the second consecutive home game in which the Bucks miss most of their key players.
The Bucks have not played at home since a 102-96 defeat to the New York Knicks on March 27. Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Holiday, DiVincenzo and sixth man Bobby Portis all missed the match.