MILWAUKEE – The Milwaukee Bucks were without all five of their usual starters on Friday night when they hosted the Charlotte Hornets one night after losing in Dallas.
Reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo finished his fourth game in a row with a sore left knee. He missed his sixth game in the last 11 years.
Jrue Holiday (bruised left knee), Donte DiVincenzo (bruised right hip), Brook Lopez (sore back), Khris Middleton (sore right knee) and reserve forward PJ Tucker (tense left calf) were also eliminated. Middleton and Lopez were listed as questionable on Friday afternoon’s injury report, but Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said on his availability for the game that neither will play.
Charlotte is also not as good as at full strength.
The Hornets announced Saturday that Gordon Hayward would miss at least a month with a sprained right foot. Rookie of the Year candidate LaMelo Ball has not played since March 20 due to a broken right wrist. Malik Monk has been out last week with a sprained right ankle.
The Bucks are returning from a six-game trip in which they went 3-3. They ended the trip by losing 116-101 in Dallas on Thursday.
This will be the second home game in a row in which the Bucks have missed most of their key players.
The Bucks haven’t played at home since a 102-96 loss to the New York Knicks on March 27. Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Holiday, DiVincenzo and sixth man Bobby Portis all missed that match.