Tue Dec 24 00:40:00 UTC 2024: **Bucks Stars Antetokounmpo and Lillard Out Against Bulls Due to Illness**
Milwaukee, WI – The Milwaukee Bucks will be without two of their star players, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, for Monday’s game against the Chicago Bulls due to a non-COVID illness, ESPN reports. Several players and staff members have reportedly been sick since the Bucks won the NBA Cup last Tuesday. This illness comes on top of pre-existing injuries: Lillard has been dealing with a right calf injury, while Antetokounmpo was previously listed as questionable with back spasms.
In other Bucks news, Antetokounmpo expressed his disappointment at the team’s exclusion from the Christmas Day NBA schedule for the first time in seven years. He questioned the selection process, pointing out that he and Lillard were All-Stars, and he was the NBA’s top vote-getter last year. He speculated that the decision might be based on market size or an algorithm designed to maximize viewership. Despite his frustration, Antetokounmpo acknowledged the positive of spending Christmas with his family.
First Piper 