Milwaukee Bucks big man Bobby Portis will be sidelined with a sprained right MCL, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania. Portis had to exit Monday's game against the Detroit Pistons early because of the injury. Portis has a Grade 2 sprain, according to Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, who cited a league source. Such an injury would usually come with a four-to-six-week timetable. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Portis will miss a minimum of two weeks, at which point he will be reevaluated.
Before this news, the Bucks were finally healthy. In that Pistons game, Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a five-game absence and Khris Middleton returned from an 18-game absence. Portis and Jevon Carter are the only players who have played in all 47 of Milwaukee's games this season.
Without Portis, the Bucks will likely lean on Antetokounmpo-at-center lineups more often when Brook Lopez is on the bench. The presence of Middleton, who has appeared in only eight games this season, makes that look more viable. There could also be more opportunities for reserve big man Sandro Mamukelashvili. (Milwaukee shelved veteran Serge Ibaka and is trying to trade him.)
This season, Portis has averaged 14.1 points on 57.1 percent true shooting, plus 10.4 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 26.8 minutes. He has made 50 percent of his midrange shots, per Cleaning The Glass.
No return-to-play timetable has been announced or reported, but Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant is out with the same injury and will reportedly miss about a month.
The Bucks are 30-17 and third in the East, with an offense that ranks 23rd in the league in efficiency and a defense that ranks third. Milwaukee hosts the Denver Nuggets on Wednesday.
