May 24th NBA Injury Report and Projected Starting Lineups – Giannis Battling Through Elbow Trouble

• Two Game 2’s of first round series in the NBA Playoffs are on the schedule Monday night
• The Miami Heat visit the Milwaukee Bucks and the Denver Nuggets host the Portland Trail Blazers
• A look at the latest injury news and projected lineups for both games can be found below

The Milwaukee Bucks and Portland Trail Blazers will both try to take 2-0 leads in their best-of-seven first round series in the NBA playoffs Monday night.

The Bucks host Miami after edging the Heat 109-107 in overtime on Saturday at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. The Bucks are favored by 4.5 points in Game 2.

The Trail Blazers will look win on the road in Denver again when they play the Nuggets at Ball Arena. Portland notched a 123-109 victory on Saturday in Game 1 but are 1.5-point underdogs this time.

Let’s take a look at how injuries might affect both games as well as the projected starting lineups.

NBA Injury News – May 24th

• The Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo wore a compression sleeve on his left arm Saturday but is expected to play in Game 2 against the Heat
• The Nuggets’ Will Barton (hamstring) has been ruled out but could return later in the series against the Trail Blazers

Heat vs Bucks Projected Lineups

The Heat’s Jimmy Butler back (knee), Andre Iguodala (hip) and Kendrick Nunn (calf) all played in Game 1 on Saturday. Butler missed the last two games of the regular season while Iguodala and Nunn sat out the finale. Butler was shaken on two drives to the basket in Game 1 but is expected to play.

Jeff Teague (knee) was on the bench for the Bucks in Game 1 but is expected to be available Monday. Giannis Antetokounmpo needed to wear a compression sleeve on his left arm Saturday following a second-half collision.

Trail Blazers vs Nuggets Projected Lineups

The Trail Blazers have no significant injuries.

Will Barton (hamstring) and PJ Dozier (knee) have been ruled out for the Nuggets. Denver is hopeful of getting Barton back at some point in the series, but Dozier’s injury is longer term. Barton was also sidelined for the last 13 games of the regular season.