Giannis

Antetokounmpo

An uncompetitive game left Antetokounmpo with just 22 minutes of game action on Thursday. Before subbing out for the final time, the former league MVP shot well from the field and did what he could on the defensive end. Yet, his effort wasn’t enough to prevent a lopsided loss. The Bucks have now lost three straight games and own a 17-24 record. Antetokounmpo will have a chance to help end the losing streak on Monday against the Hawks.

Antetokounmpo was upgraded from probable to available ahead of Thursday’s contest, giving the Bucks their best offensive threat against the Spurs. The former league MVP is averaging 29.1 points, 9.7 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game so far this season. He’ll have a chance to outproduce another top fantasy basketball option in Victor Wembanyama.

Antetokounmpo has been diagnosed with a sprained left ankle, but the probable tag is encouraging. If he’s unable to play, the Bucks will likely call on Kyle Kuzma to fill the void.

Antetokounmpo and the Bucks were simply overmatched against the Timberwolves Tuesday. Milwaukee found themselves down 31 points at halftime and eventually lost by 33. Antetokounmpo was efficient with 25 points on 13 field goal attempts, but failed to get his teammates involved with seven turnovers and just five assists. He’s still a fantasy superstar, but he’s not going to hit his ceiling in a game as lopsided as Tuesday’s. The Bucks are off until Thursday, when they take on the Spurs.

Antetokounmpo fell two boards shy of his first triple-double of the season, recording a monster all-around performance as Milwaukee fell to 17-22 overall on the year. The omnipresent trade chatter will likely ramp up in the coming weeks, especially if the Bucks continue to struggle. The 31-year-old fantasy superstar, who has scored at least 30 points in five of his last six games, is averaging 29.2 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.8 blocks through 25 games this season. The Bucks are back in action with a quick two-game week that features matchups against the Timberwolves and Spurs.

Giannis came up with the biggest defensive play of Friday’s game, as he poked the ball away from LeBron James in the final seconds to prevent the Lakers’ forward from attempting a potential game-tying layup. While Antetokounmpo’s shot volume was low, he shot the ball efficiently from the field and the foul line. Having seemingly put to rest any rumors regarding his future in Milwaukee, the question now is what (if anything) the Bucks will look to do to strengthen the roster around Antetokounmpo before the trade deadline. Regardless of the answer, he’ll still provide excellent fantasy value.

Antetokounmpo played 31 minutes on Wednesday and collected his fourth straight 30-point double-double. Efficient shooting keyed his success, and a pair of three-pointers also added to his overall fantasy production on the night. He finished as the only Milwaukee player with double-digit rebounds and was the only one to score more than 16 points. Antetokounmpo continues to do the heavy lifting for the Bucks — their success depends on it, which is great news for fantasy basketball managers.

Usually, the approach of having Giannis earn his points at the foul line results in him leaving some points on the board, given his poor shooting at the free-throw line. Well, that approach didn’t work for the Kings, as he made 11 of his 13 attempts on the night. Add in an elite shooting performance from the field, and the Bucks superstar finished with his third 30-point double-double in as many appearances. While Milwaukee’s not playing again until Wednesday is bad news for fantasy managers, it does get Giannis a little more time to deal with his right calf.

Initially probable for Sunday’s game, Antetokounmpo will take on his usual role as the focal point of the Bucks’ offensive attack. And given Sacramento’s defensive struggles, Giannis could be in for a big night.

The Bucks are still managing Antetokounmpo’s workload due to the right calf injury he sustained last month, but the probable tag suggests he will be available. If Giannis can’t play, Bobby Portis would be back in the starting lineup, raising his fantasy ceiling.