The Milwaukee Bucks visit the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday, December 14, at 6:00 PM ET at Barclays Center, with injuries set to play a major role in the Eastern Conference matchup.
Milwaukee enters the game at 11–15 and riding a one-game winning streak, while Brooklyn sits at 6–18 and has dropped its last outing at home.
The Bucks will be without Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is ruled out with a right calf strain. The former MVP has averaged 28.9 points, 10.1 rebounds, and 6.1 assists, making his absence a significant blow to Milwaukee’s interior scoring and transition attack.
A.J. Green is also sidelined due to a left AC joint sprain, removing a perimeter shooter who has averaged 11.3 points while hitting 48.5 percent from three. Taurean Prince remains out after undergoing neck surgery and has appeared in only eight games this season.
Alex Antetokounmpo and Mark Sears are unavailable due to G League assignments.
Without Giannis, Milwaukee is expected to lean heavily on Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. Rollins leads the team in games played and averages 17.2 points and 6.0 assists, while Porter Jr. has produced 21.3 points per game in limited appearances.
Kyle Kuzma, Bobby Portis, and Myles Turner are also positioned for expanded roles, particularly in the frontcourt, where Milwaukee must replace Antetokounmpo’s rebounding and rim pressure.
Brooklyn’s injury report is headlined by Cam Thomas, who is out with a left hamstring strain. Thomas has averaged 21.4 points in eight games and remains one of the Nets’ primary shot creators.
Haywood Highsmith continues to recover from right knee surgery and remains unavailable, while rookie Ben Saraf is out due to illness. Those absences further thin Brooklyn’s wing and guard depth.
The Nets are expected to rely on Michael Porter Jr., who leads the team with 26.3 points per game and 7.4 rebounds. Nic Claxton remains a key interior presence, averaging 13.6 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks.
Brooklyn has struggled at home with a 2–10 record, while Milwaukee is 3–8 on the road, adding another layer of variability to the matchup.
The teams met once earlier this season, with the Bucks earning a 116–99 home win on November 29.
