The Golden State Warriors will be out for back-to-back wins on Monday against the Milwaukee Bucks, having produced a stunning second-half comeback in Saturday's 132-111 win over the Chicago Bulls at United Center.
Jimmy Butler was dynamic in his franchise debut, with he and fellow star Stephen Curry combining for 59 points as the Warriors turned a 24-point second-half deficit into a 21-point victory.
Golden State will enter Fiserv Forum currently 1-2 on a seven-game road-trip, having started with back-to-back losses to the Utah Jazz and Los Angeles Lakers.
The Warriors won't have to face Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday
Their hopes of pushing back beyond a .500 record has received a boost, with Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo ruled out from Monday's game The 2x MVP has suffered a calf strain which will also see him miss next weekend's All-Star Game at Chase Center, according to ESPN's Shams Charania.
Milwaukee have yet to submit the remainder of their injury report, having faced the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday afternoon. Antetokounmpo's absence didn't stop the Bucks from claiming a 135-127 victory, with Damian Lillard dropping eight threes on his way to 43 points, seven rebounds and eight assists. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey combined for 66 points, but it wasn't enough for the 76ers whose disastrous season continued.
While they may have got a win on Sunday, that was just Milwaukee's second in the last seven games. The Bucks currently hold a 28-23 record, ranking 12th in offensive rating and 11th in defensive rating.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will be sidelined through the next week due to a mild calf strain and will miss the NBA All-Star Game next Sunday, sources tell ESPN. Antetokounmpo, out since Feb. 2, is expected to return to action shortly after All-Star break. pic.twitter.com/wl8Lu6yWNq
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) February 9, 2025
It's relatively good news for the Warriors on their injury report. Stephen Curry is questionable but there's otherwise a clean bill of health outside Jonathan Kuminga who continues to recover from his significant ankle injury sustained on January 4.
Curry was explosive with 24 points in the third-quarter against the Bulls, but is now dealing with left quad soreness after taking on a heavy offensive burden over the last three games. That should now reduce with the presence of Butler who led a blistering Golden State run to start the fourth-quarter on Saturday. The 6x All-Star had 10 points and an assist during an 18-4 run in less than five minutes with Curry watching on from the bench.
The Warriors will then close their pre All-Star schedule in Dallas and Houston, both of who are also dealing with their own injury concerns. Golden State are currently 11th in the Western Conference, but are in a 3-way tie with the Sacramento Kings and Phoenix Suns at a 26-26 record.