Already without Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks’ hopes of going into the All-Star break with some momentum took a hit with guard Ryan Rollins ruled out of Wednesday’s game at the Orlando Magic.
Rollins, a 23-year-old guard whose emergence has been a bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for Milwaukee, is dealing with a case of plantar fascitis in his right foot. He scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and dished out three assists in Monday’s 118-99 loss in Orlando.
An ugly second half ended the Milwaukee Bucks’ three-game win streak, but an upset in the second of two games between them and the Magic heading into the All-Star break would add a nice bow to a solid two weeks for a team that held on to its face of the franchise and hopes to have him back by the end of the month in order to make a run at a play-in berth.
The Milwaukee Bucks (21-30) and Orlando Magic (28-24) are playing for just the second time this season, opened the week against one another and will go into the All-Star hiatus after this game’s conclusion.
The last time Doc Rivers’ team won in Orlando was Jan. 10, 2025, escaping with a 109-106 win. The Magic have now won consecutive matchups in this series for the first time since 2013-14. Milwaukee is 19-4 over the last 23 games against the Magic, having won 14 straight from 2019-23.
Bouncing back will rely on Kevin Porter Jr. building off a 28-point, seven assist game since he’s likely to have even more responsibilities with Rollins sidelined. Cam Thomas, who signed with Milwaukee after being waived by the Brooklyn Nets, is also likely to see more minutes.
Rollins, a 23-year-old combo guard who is having breakout season after struggling to make a dent in stops in Golden State and Washington before joining the Bucks, is averaging 16.9 points, 4.6 rebounds and 5.5 assists this season. He’s shooting 40.7 percent from 3-point range.
Milwaukee had dropped six of seven before posting wins over the Bulls, Pelicans and Pacers on its recent homestand. The Bucks recorded their second-highest scoring output of the season in a 141-137 overtime win on Feb. 4 and then held Indiana to 99 in their most recent outing on Feb. 6, marking the first time since Jan. 4 and just the fourth time all season in which they held a team under the century mark.
The Magic will be looking for their fourth consecutive victory, which would be their longest of the season. It helps to be able to avoid Antetokounmpo who will miss his eighth straight contest following his latest calf strain.
The Magic are 17-8 at home and have an 19-17 mark against Eastern Conference opposition. Milwaukee is 9-18 on the road and 16-18 against East foes.
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