Both of the Milwaukee Bucks’ nine-time All-Stars, power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo and point guard Damian Lillard, appeared on the team’s injury report ahead of a crucial matchup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday. Will they be ready to take on an injury-plagued Lakers squad on the road? According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Lillard’s status was downgraded to questionable due to a sore right soleus, a calf muscle issue. This is a new injury, as the 6-foot-2 Weber State alum was initially listed as probable while managing a sore right groin. Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo, 30, was deemed probable despite dealing with right patella tendinopathy. The two-time MVP was expected to dominate the Lakers’ depleted lineup at Crypto.com Arena. Los Angeles had already ruled out starting forwards LeBron James and Rui Hachimura.

Backup shooting guard Gary Trent Jr. was also probable as he dealt with left patella tendinopathy. Meanwhile, Milwaukee big man Bobby Portis remains in the middle of a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s drug policy. The 6-foot-10 Arkansas native mistakenly took Tramadol, a banned painkiller, believing it to be the permitted medication Toradol.

Bucks center Jericho Sims, acquired in a minor trade with the New York Knicks, had been playing the majority of Portis’ minutes off the bench and had already built strong chemistry with Lillard. Unfortunately, he recently sustained a right thumb UCL sprain, sidelining him for four weeks. Sims is now expected to return just before the postseason.

A final decision has now been made regarding Antetokounmpo and Lillard’s availability. According to Nehm, head coach Doc Rivers confirmed that Antetokounmpo and Trent will play, while Lillard is “probably out.” The two-time MVP should have an opportunity to exploit the Lakers’ depleted lineup at Crypto.com Arena.

Starting Lakers forwards LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, along with key reserves Dorian Finney-Smith and Jarred Vanderbilt, have all been ruled out. The Lakers are in the middle of a grueling stretch, playing their sixth game in eight nights, making it understandable that first-year head coach JJ Redick is prioritizing rest for some of his top players.

Star guards Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are also sidelined for Los Angeles, creating an opportunity for seldom-used rookie Bronny James, LeBron’s 20-year-old son, to potentially see some action against the Bucks. With the Lakers’ backups set to take the floor, Antetokounmpo appears poised for a dominant performance in the paint. If he plays at least nine of the 38-30 Bucks’ final 14 games, the 6-foot-11 superstar is likely to secure another All-NBA First Team selection. Across 56 healthy games, he has averaged 30.2 points on 59.9% shooting from the field and 60% from the free-throw line, along with 12.0 rebounds and 6.0 assists per game.