Giannis (knee) out as Bucks look to clinch 1 seed

MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) will miss Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls, coach Mike Budenholzer announced prior to the game.

Antetokounmpo was listed as probable on the injury report leading up to the game and took the court for a shortened version of his regular pregame routine before being ruled out.

The Bucks are on the second half of a back-to-back after Tuesday’s 140-128 road victory against the Washington Wizards, led by Antetokounmpo’s triple-double with 33 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists.

Milwaukee can clinch the No.1 record in the Eastern Conference and best record in the NBA with a victory Wednesday night.

The Bucks are also without guards Pat Connaughton and Grayson Allen for Wednesday’s contest.

Connaughton suffered a sprained right ankle during Tuesday’s game, and Budenholzer said the team was optimistic it will be a short-term injury. Allen’s ankle sprain is more severe, according to Budenholzer, who said the Bucks are expected to be without Allen for the rest of the regular season with the hope that he can return for the postseason.

“That gives us seven to 10 days to see how he’s doing,” Budenholzer said about Allen, who suffered the injury in Sunday’s win over the 76ers. “There’s a lot that can happen in that time frame, so we’ll hope for the positive.”