MILWAUKEE — The Milwaukee Bucks were without all five of their usual starters Friday night as they hosted the Charlotte Hornets a night after losing at Dallas.
Reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out his fourth straight game with a sore left knee. He missed his sixth game in the past 11.
Jrue Holiday (bruised left knee), Donte DiVincenzo (bruised right hip), Brook Lopez (sore back), Khris Middleton (sore right knee) and reserve forward P.J. Tucker (strained left calf) also were declared out. Middleton and Lopez were listed as doubtful on Friday afternoon’s injury report, but Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said at his pregame availability that neither will play.
Charlotte also isn’t close to full strength.
The Hornets announced Saturday that Gordon Hayward would miss at least a month with a sprained right foot. Rookie of the Year candidate LaMelo Ball hasn’t played since March 20 because of a fractured right wrist. Malik Monk has been out the past week with a sprained right ankle.
The Bucks are coming back from a six-game trip in which they went 3-3. They ended the trip by losing 116-101 at Dallas on Thursday.
This will be the second straight home game in which the Bucks have been missing most of their key players.
The Bucks haven’t played at home since a 102-96 loss to the New York Knicks on March 27. Antetokounmpo, Middleton, Holiday, DiVincenzo and sixth man Bobby Portis all missed that game.