The Milwaukee Bucks entered the 2025-26 season with championship aspirations-but nearly four months in, it’s been anything but smooth sailing. From swirling trade rumors around Giannis Antetokounmpo to a string of injuries and illnesses that have decimated the rotation, the Bucks have struggled to find their footing. Now sitting at 18-25, they’re clinging to relevance in the Eastern Conference, and Friday night’s matchup against the Denver Nuggets isn’t offering any favors.
Let’s start with the biggest storyline that’s hovered over Milwaukee like a storm cloud: the Giannis situation. Even before the season tipped off, speculation about his future was already heating up.
Despite Giannis publicly stating he wouldn't request a trade, the noise hasn’t gone away. And in a locker room where chemistry and cohesion are everything, that kind of uncertainty can be a silent killer.
Whether it’s chatter from the outside or tension behind closed doors, it’s hard to ignore the impact that sort of distraction can have on a team trying to stay in sync.
Now, as they prepare to host a banged-up but still dangerous Denver team, the Bucks are again bracing for a short-handed night.
The good news? Giannis is healthy and ready to go.
That alone gives Milwaukee a fighting chance. Myles Turner, a key piece in their frontcourt, is also expected to return after dealing with an ankle sprain.
But the backcourt is in rough shape. Kevin Porter Jr. remains sidelined with an oblique strain, and now both AJ Green and Gary Trent are questionable due to illness.
If neither is cleared to play, Milwaukee’s guard depth takes a serious hit-especially considering Porter is already out.
Here’s how the Bucks’ injury report looks heading into Friday night:
- Alex Antetokounmpo (G-League/two-way): Out
- Taurean Prince (neck surgery): Out
- Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique strain): Out
- AJ Green (illness): Questionable
- Gary Trent (illness): Questionable
- Myles Turner (ankle sprain): Probable
That’s a lot of uncertainty for a team that can’t afford any more setbacks. Milwaukee’s margin for error is razor-thin right now, and missing multiple rotation guards against a team like Denver is a recipe for trouble.
But it’s not like the Nuggets are coming in at full strength either. Denver’s injury list is almost as long, and it includes some major names.
- Tamar Bates (foot surgery): Out
- Christian Braun (ankle sprain): Out
- Aaron Gordon (hamstring strain): Probable
- Cameron James (knee bone bruise): Out
- Nikola Jokic (knee bone bruise): Out
- Jamal Murray (hamstring/hip): Questionable
- Jonas Valanciunas (calf strain): Questionable
- Peyton Watson (ankle sprain): Questionable
That’s a brutal list. Jokic, the engine of Denver’s offense, is out.
Murray, their second star, is a question mark. Even with a 30-15 record and a firm grip on third place in the West, the Nuggets are walking into this one limping-literally and figuratively.
So what does this all mean for the Bucks? Well, it’s a chance.
A chance to right the ship, even temporarily. A chance to show some resilience.
They’ll need Giannis to be the MVP-caliber force he’s always been, but they’ll also need role players to step up-especially if Green and Trent can’t go.
This season hasn’t gone according to plan for Milwaukee, but there’s still time to change the narrative. Friday night against a battered Denver squad? That’s as good a place to start as any.