Damian Lillard, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Milwaukee Bucks are ready to face off against the Chicago Bulls for the first game of the NBA preseason. As many NBA fans must certainly be aware, this has been quite an active and productive offseason for the Bucks.
After the Greek Freak indicated that he could leave the team unless they were all on the same page about winning an NBA title, the Bucks management went out and acquired Lillard in a three-team deal with the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns.
By doing so, they have instantly transformed into title favorites and will be looking to prove those notions right. Their first game against the Chicago Bulls will give fans a taste of what the new-look Bucks are capable of doing. With that being said, let us take a closer look at the injury reports, rosters, and expert predictions for this game.
Damian Lillard is not expected to play in the Milwaukee Bucks vs Chicago Bulls game tonight
There is no denying that the Bucks did everything in their power to put enough star talent around Giannis Antetokounmpo. After all, they managed to trade for one of the best point guards and three-point shooters of this era. Since shooting isn’t something that Giannis is known for, having a player like Dame who can score from the distance will certainly fill any gaps in the Bucks’ offense.
Considering the fact that this is just a preseason game, neither the Bulls nor the Bucks have any incentive to go all out to win this game. Nonetheless, here are the injury reports and expected roster for both sides.
Milwaukee Bucks injury report
- Khris Middleton (questionable)
- Giannis Antetokounmpo (out)
- Damian Lillard (out)
Milwaukee Bucks expected roster
- Cameron Payne
- Pat Connaughton
- Jae Crowder
- Thanasis Antetokounmpo
- Brook Lopez
Chicago Bulls injury report
- Lonzo Ball (out)
Chicago Bulls expected roster
- Coby White
- Alex Caruso
- Zach LaVine
- DeMar DeRozan
- Nikola Vucevic
As we can tell from the injury reports, both Khris Middleton and Lonzo Ball are unlikely to play in this game due to knee injuries. However, Ball is expected to miss most of this season due to his injury. Now, let us take a look at the expert predictions for this game.
The Bucks are favored over the Bulls tonight
As already mentioned, this is merely the NBA preseason and teams have nothing to gain by winning these matches. Nonetheless, we have the Milwaukee Bucks winning this game due to the fact that they have added a talented star to their roster and will be eager to display what they are capable of accomplishing.
Although the Bulls will not go down without a fight, not many members of the basketball community can see them beating the Bucks. Whether it be a preseason, regular season, or postseason game. Despite that, this is expected to be a good game that NBA fans should not miss.
