Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard (hip) has been downgraded to out for Friday night’s road game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) also remains out indefinitely.
Brook Lopez (possible rest), Khris Middleton (possible rest), Bobby Portis (possible rest), and Marjon Beauchamp (ankle) were all upgraded to probable. A.J. Green (ankle) and Jaylin Galloway (ankle) are out as well.
Earlier this year, NBA sportsbooks listed Damian Lillard as the odds-on favorite to win NBA Clutch Player of the Year. Sportsbooks now show DeMar DeRozan as the front-runner.
Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis are available vs OKC tonight.
Damian Lillard is OUT.
Giannis remains out.
— Brandon Rahbar (@BrandonRahbar) April 12, 2024
Through 72 games (all starts) this season, Lillard is averaging 24.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.1 steals, and 35.4 minutes per game. He’s also shooting 42.7% from the floor, 35.6% from 3-point range, and 92% at the foul line.
Additionally, the eight-time All-Star ranks 15th in the league this season in points (1,759), ninth in assists (506), 12th in 3-pointers (220), and fifth in free throws (461).
Milwaukee Bucks’ Damian Lillard (hip) is out for Friday’s road game against Oklahoma City Thunder
Moreover, Lillard became the first Bucks player to record at least 40 points, 10 assists, and five 3-pointers in a single game, in a 141-135 win over the Detroit Pistons on Jan. 20. It was his second career 40-point game in a Bucks uniform.
Lillard, 33, ended his outing with a season-high 45 points, six rebounds, 11 assists, and one steal in 37 minutes of action. The seven-time All-NBA member shot 12-of-22 (54.5%) from the field and 5-of-11 (45.5%) from beyond the arc. In fact, he made all 11 free throws as well.
Although Milwaukee has the head-to-head tiebreaker over the No. 3 New York Knicks (48-32), the Bucks should still try to win their final two games at the Thunder (55-25) and Orlando Magic (46-34) to help clinch the No. 2 seed.
Updated West Standings ‼️
– Dubs win and jump to #9
– Pels win and are 1 game up on #7 SunsFor more, download the NBA App
📲 https://t.co/oRfhdB8ZfO pic.twitter.com/8X72ZMjWUH— NBA (@NBA) April 12, 2024
The Knicks pulled within a game for second on Thursday night and could secure the No. 2 spot if they win out and Milwaukee loses both of its final games. New York hosts the Brooklyn Nets (32-48) on Friday and the Chicago Bulls (38-42) on Sunday.
However, NBA sportsbooks show the Bucks as heavy 14-point underdogs at OKC. Per ESPN’s Basketball Power Index, the Thunder hold an 86.2% chance of defeating Milwaukee.
Referring to a couple of NBA betting sites, the Bucks hold fourth-shortest odds to win the championship. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets, and Los Angeles Clippers.
