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Kyle Kuzma Kyle Kuzma scores team-high 19 points vs. Wizards
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 4:06 PM
Kyle Kuzma logged 34 minutes in Friday's win over the Wizards, tallying 19 points (8-of-19 FGs, 1-of-2 FTs), eight rebounds, five assists, one steal, and two three-pointers.
Analysis: Playing against his former team for the first time since being traded at the deadline, Kuzma led the Bucks in scoring in Friday's victory. Also, the rebounds and assists will benefit fantasy managers disappointed by the Bucks forward. However, the change of scenery has not boosted Kuzma's fantasy value. Since his debut on February 7, Kuzma has averaged 16.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.5 three-pointers per game, shooting 42 percent from the field and 66.7 percent from the foul line. That production has been good for 16th-round value in eight-cat formats. However, with Bobby Portis serving a 25-game suspension and Giannis Antetokounmpo (18/6/3/1/1 in 19 minutes) on a minutes restriction, those who have Kyle rostered have to hold onto him, warts and all. |
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AJ Green AJ Green hits three triples, scores nine points
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 3:59 PM
AJ Green accounted for nine points (3-of-9 FGs), three rebounds, three assists, one steal, one block, and three three-pointers in 37 minutes in Friday's win over the Wizards.
Analysis: Filling the void left by Taurean Prince, Green did much of what has been expected of him this season. All nine of his shot attempts came from beyond the arc, and while the stat line was complete, the numbers were modest. The Bucks guard is only rostered in one percent of Yahoo leagues, and that isn't going to change in the aftermath of Friday's performance. While Green will remain in the rotation when Prince is available, the minutes won't be enough to justify him being rostered in fantasy leagues. |
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Ryan Rollins Ryan Rollins tallies 15 points, full stat line
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 3:51 PM
Ryan Rollins shot 6-of-10 from the field and 1-of-1 from the foul line in Friday's win over the Wizards, scoring 15 points with four rebounds, four assists, three steals, one block, and two three-pointers in 33 minutes.
Analysis: With Damian Lillard out, Rollins made his eighth start of the season on Friday. And it was arguably his best, with the third-year guard finishing one point shy of his season-high while recording a complete stat line. Rollins hadn't done enough in previous starts to justify being streamed for Friday's action, and one performance isn't going to change that. Also, the Bucks won't play another back-to-back until Week 18 (Yahoo leagues), so there's no need to add Rollins in the aftermath of this performance. |
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Ryan Rollins MIL starting Rollins, Green, Kuzma, Giannis, Lopez
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 12:46 PM
NBA Injury Report
Ryan Rollins, AJ Green, Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez will start Friday's game against the Wizards.
Analysis: The Bucks have made two changes to the lineup that began Thursday's win over the Clippers. Rollins, who's closing in on his 50-game limit as a two-way player, and Green will start because Damian Lillard and Taurean Prince are unavailable. Also, Giannis will be limited to 24 minutes again as he continues to work his way back from a strained calf. |
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) available vs. Wizards
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 12:00 PM
Eric Nehm
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) has been upgraded to available against the Wizards on Friday.
Analysis: Giannis will continue to play on the same minutes restriction that he had on Thursday, which kept him at 24 minutes. However, he will play both legs of the back-to-back, which is a great sign for his progress. Damian Lillard is sidelined, so there will be plenty of reserve minutes and shots to go around, which should give AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. a production boost. |
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Taurean Prince Taurean Prince (ankle) out Friday vs. Wizards
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 8:58 AM
Taurean Prince (ankle) is out for Friday's game against the Wizards.
Analysis: Prince went from probable to being ruled out in a little less than two hours. With Damian Lillard, Bobby Portis and now Prince all out for Friday's game, Milwaukee will certainly have its depth tested. AJ Green could move into the starting lineup and Gary Trent Jr. could see more minutes off the bench with Prince out. |
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Taurean Prince Taurean Prince (ankle) probable Friday vs. Wizards
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 7:37 AM
Taurean Prince (ankle) is probable for Friday's game against the Wizards.
Analysis: Prince is expected to play Friday despite his ankle injury as he's listed as probable against the Wizards. The 30-year-old small forward derives his fantasy value almost entirely from scoring and 3-pointers. With Damian Lillard (hamstring) already ruled out Friday, Prince has value to fantasy managers in need of points and threes as the opportunities should be there for him. Otherwise, he can be left on the waiver wire. |
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Damian Lillard Damian Lillard (hamstring) out Friday vs. Wizards
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 7:33 AM
Damian Lillard (hamstring) is out for Friday's game against the Wizards.
Analysis: Lillard returned from a hamstring injury Thursday and had 15 points and seven assists in 33 minutes. The Bucks managed his minutes against the Clippers Thursday and seem to be making the smart move by holding the 34-year-old point guard out against the Wizards on the second night of a back-to-back. Milwaukee and fantasy managers alike can't afford Lillard to have a setback with his hamstring injury at this point in the season. Kevin Porter Jr. could move into the starting lineup with Lillard out. |
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) probable Friday
Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 7:32 AM
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is probable for Friday's game against the Wizards.
Analysis: Giannis played just 24 minutes against the Clippers Thursday after missing six games with a strained calf. The 30-year-old power forward must be feeling pretty good as he's expected to play Friday on the second night of a back-to-back. Fantasy managers can insert the Greek Freak into lineups as usual against the Wizards. |
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Brook Lopez Brook Lopez shines vs. LAC, drops 22/7/2/1/4 line
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 5:23 PM
Brook Lopez tallied 22 points (8-of-14 FGs, 2-of-2 FTs), seven rebounds, two assists, one steal, four blocks, and four three-pointers in 31 minutes in Thursday's 116-110 win over the Clippers.
Analysis: With Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo playing under minutes restrictions and Bobby Portis serving a 25-game suspension, the Bucks needed a more involved Lopez on Thursday. That's precisely what they received, as the veteran center was impactful on both ends of the floor. The 22 points were the most Lopez has scored in a game since January 8 (22 vs. San Antonio), and this was his sixth outing of the season with at least four blocked shots. The Bucks visit the Wizards on Friday, and Lopez has played both ends of every back-to-back except for one. Look for him to be on the court in what should be a good matchup. |
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Giannis Antetokounmpo plays 24 MIN vs. LAC
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 5:18 PM
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished Thursday's win over the Clippers with 23 points (10-of-14 FGs, 3-of-5 FTs), eight rebounds, four assists, and one blocked shot in 24 minutes.
Analysis: After missing six games with a strained calf, Antetokounmpo returned to the Bucks' lineup on Thursday. A minutes restriction limited his production, but simply having Giannis on the court was a positive for the Bucks and those who have him rostered. However, despite the limited workload, fantasy managers may have to plan for Antetokounmpo sitting out Friday's game against the Wizards. With Kyle Kuzma starting on Thursday, Andre Jackson Jr. could return to the rotation after not playing against the Clippers. However, there's no need to consider streaming him, even if Giannis joins Bobby Portis (suspension) on the sidelines. |
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Damian Lillard Damian Lillard scores 15 in return
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 5:15 PM
Damian Lillard accounted for 15 points (2-of-12 FGs, 9-of-10 FTs), seven rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and two three-pointers in 33 minutes in Thursday's win over the Clippers.
Analysis: After missing Milwaukee's final game before the All-Star break with a hamstring injury, Lillard's minutes were restricted on Thursday. However, the Bucks weren't as strict with him as with Giannis Antetokounmpo, who played 24 minutes. Lillard didn't shoot the ball well, going 2-of-8 from three, but fantasy managers did receive some value in the rebound, assist, and steals categories. Given the injury and the amount of time he played, fantasy managers should not be surprised if Lillard sits out Friday's game against the Wizards. |
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Kyle Kuzma MIL starts Lillard, Prince, Kuzma, Giannis, Lopez
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 1:41 PM
NBA Lineups
Damian Lillard, Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and Brook Lopez will start Thursday's game against the Clippers.
Analysis: Lillard (hamstring) and Antetokounmpo (calf) are back in the lineup for the Bucks, but the latter's return does not push Kuzma to the bench. Instead, Andre Jackson Jr. will come off the bench, damaging his already-low fantasy ceiling. There's even less reason to consider rostering Jackson, especially if Doc Rivers sticks with this lineup. |
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard available
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 12:32 PM
Law Murray
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Damian Lillard (hamstring) are available for Thursday's game against the Clippers.
Analysis: Antetokounmpo and Lillard are available to play, but both will be on minutes restrictions for the Bucks' first game after the All-Star break. While Lillard did play in Sunday's All-Star Game, Giannis has not seen any action since February 2, missing six games. Kyle Kuzma's minutes may not take much of a hit, as the Bucks will be without the suspended Bobby Portis. |
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Bobby Portis Bobby Portis took wrong pain meds, per agent
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 5:41 AM
Shams Charania
Bobby Portis' agent told ESPN that he unintentionally took the wrong pain medication, which triggered his 25-game suspension.
Analysis: Portis' pain medication snafu resulted in a 25-game suspension after the 30-year-old power forward tested positive for a banned substance. According to his agent, Portis unintentionally took Tramadol, thinking he was taking Toradol. With the suspension sidelining Portis for almost the entire remainder of the season, he's droppable in all formats. |
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Bobby Portis Bobby Portis docked 25 games for banned substance
Thu, Feb 20, 2025, 4:46 AM
Chris Haynes
Bobby Portis was suspended 25 games for violating the league's anti-drug policy, reports NBA Insider Chris Haynes.
Analysis: It's unclear how Portis violated the NBA's anti-drug policy exactly with Haynes reporting that he took a âbanned substance.â The 30-year-old power forward is potentially droppable now that he's set to miss the next 25 games for Milwaukee. Portis had been a must-start option whenever Giannis Antetokounmpo was out. With Portis on the shelf now, Kyle Kuzma will likely see a boost in value for the time being. |
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard questionable
Wed, Feb 19, 2025, 11:34 AM
NBA Injury Report
Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Damian Lillard (hamstring) are questionable for Thursday's game against the Clippers.
Analysis: While Lillard participated in Sunday's All-Star Game, Antetokounmpo has been out since February 2 with a strained left calf. Both players practiced on Wednesday, which was a step in the right direction. If Giannis returns, Kyle Kuzma will likely head to the bench. |
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Damian Lillard Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo practice Wed
Wed, Feb 19, 2025, 9:30 AM
Eric Nehm on Twitter
Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo practiced Wednesday, but their status for Thursday's matchup with the Clippers is still undetermined.
Analysis: When asked if the pair would play tomorrow, coach Doc Rivers noted, âWe don't know. We went hard - but not that hard - so we'll see with him and Dame if they can go tomorrow. We don't know yet.â For now, fantasy managers should keep an eye on injury updates heading into Thursday. |
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Giannis, Ja eyeing 2026 Slam Dunk Contest?
Sun, Feb 16, 2025, 4:01 AM
Giannis Antetokounmpo on Twitter
Giannis Antetokounmpo responded, âIf you do it. I'll do it with youâ to Ja Morant's post on X that âmac might make me decide to dunk.â
Analysis: The 2016 Slam Dunk Contest was a true masterpiece, as Zach LaVine and Aaron Gordon traded phenomenal jams all night. Since that magical performance, the contest has gone downhill, and lack of superstar participation is a big reason. McClung's recent three-peat has brought a new level of excitement to the dying contest and, if Giannis and Ja's posts on X are any indication, McClung has revived it. Morant replied to his own post later with âzach and ag wassupâ seemingly challenging LaVine and Gordon to enter on what would be the 10th anniversary of their famous showdown. A dunk contest with those four participants would surely bring some attention to All-Star's Saturday night festivities. |
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Kyle Kuzma Kyle Kuzma records 19/13/4/1 line vs. Minnesota
Wed, Feb 12, 2025, 4:33 PM
Kyle Kuzma played 39 minutes in Wednesday's win over the Timberwolves, accumulating 19 points (7-of-17 FGs, 5-of-8 FTs), 13 rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Analysis: Kuzma's percentages on Wednesday weren't the best, but the rebounds and assists were solid as the Bucks played another game without Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf). In the four games Milwaukee played without its superstar forward after the trade deadline, Kuzma averaged 16.3 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.0 three-pointers. However, he's ranked outside the top 200 in eight-cat formats due to the low percentages and lackluster defensive production. |
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