Bucks Rest Key Players Ahead of Playoffs Against Pistons

MILWAUKEE – As both teams have already secured their playoff positions, Giannis Antetokounmpo and many of the Milwaukee Bucks’ key players will be sitting out during Sunday’s regular-season finale against the Detroit Pistons.

The Bucks are locked into the fifth seed, while the Pistons hold the sixth spot in the Eastern Conference standings. This positions Milwaukee to face Indiana in a rematch of their 2024 first-round series, which saw the Pacers emerge victorious 4-2. Meanwhile, the Pistons will battle the New York Knicks, marking Detroit’s return to the playoffs for the first time since 2019.

Milwaukee secured the No. 5 seed with a 125-119 victory over Detroit on Friday.

Antetokounmpo will miss Sunday’s game due to tendinopathy in his left shoulder. Alongside him, the Bucks will also be without Brook Lopez (rest), Kevin Porter Jr. (right wrist sprain), Bobby Portis (rest), Taurean Prince (right knee patella tendinopathy), Gary Trent Jr. (right knee bruise), and Ryan Rollins (left shoulder), all of whom played on Friday.

Antetokounmpo wraps up the regular season with impressive stats, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game. This places him among the elite company of Wilt Chamberlain (1959-66) and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1970-73) as the only players to average at least 30 points and 10 rebounds per game across three consecutive seasons.

For the Pistons, Isaiah Stewart (right knee inflammation) and Ausar Thompson (patellar tendinopathy in the left knee) will also sit out Sunday’s game. Stewart missed Friday’s matchup but contributed to Thursday’s 115-106 victory against the Knicks.