Following a day of waiting to see if their superstar would be heading out the door, the Milwaukee Bucks will have Giannis Antetokounmpo still on the roster when they host the Indiana Pacers on Friday night.
It was reported well before the deadline that the Bucks would be keeping Antetokounmpo through the trade deadline and begin to make other trades.
That speculation did not amount to much despite rumors of additions to the team. Milwaukee did make one transaction, sending guard Cole Anthony and wing Amir Coffey to Phoenix in a three-team deal including Chicago that sends forwards Ousmane Dieng and Nigel Hayes-Davis to the Bucks.
Indiana, meanwhile, who comes in tied for last place in the Eastern Conference with superstar Tyrese Haliburton out for the year, acquired center Ivica Zubac and forward Kobe Brown from the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson and three draft picks.
Zubac, under contract for two more seasons beyond this one, effectively becomes the replacement for former Pacer and current Buck Myles Turner, who left Indiana for Milwaukee in free agency last July.
This will be Turner’s third time playing his former team, and the first in which he will not face boos from the Pacers crowd. He hasn’t quite had the impact in Milwaukee as he did in Indiana, averaging 13 points and 5.6 rebounds on 43.9% shooting from the floor on the season.
However, his play has improved with Antetokounmpo off the floor with his calf strain, and he’s averaging 18 points and seven boards in the last five games, including 31-point and 14-rebound performances.
Milwaukee will continue to play without Antetokounmpo, though it did get Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique) back from injury in its 141-137 overtime win over the visiting New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday as he scored 18 points with nine assists, six boards and five steals.
“(Porter) was fantastic, having him and Ryan (Rollins) on the floor gave us two playmakers and I thought it showed how good that it for us,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said.
Bobby Portis (hip) missed Wednesday’s game and is listed as day-to-day while Gary Harris (hamstring) is still listed as out.
Indiana meanwhile, coming in off two straight losses to Houston and Utah at home, also is dealing with injuries.
Obi Toppin (foot) remains out and Micah Potter (hip) is still ailing. The quartet of Pascal Siakam, Aaron Nesmith, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell all were out due to rest in Indiana’s 131-122 home loss to Utah on Tuesday.
“We did score 122 points which is saying something, but we gave up too many,” Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said in the postgame press conference. “Our guys did play better. This is amazing experience, they’re going to learn a lot from this.”
Milwaukee has won three in a row over the team that has become their fiercest rival. The first matchup of this season was one of the better moments for Milwaukee on the season as Antetokounmpo hit a game-winning jump shot at the final buzzer on Nov. 3.
Should Milwaukee win its third in a row this season over Indiana, it would also notably mark the first time it has won three consecutive games this season.
