Bucks vs. Raptors Wednesday NBA injury report, odds: Spread rising as if Milwaukee will rest Giannis Antetokounmpo in second game of back-to-back

As of this writing, the Milwaukee Bucks have not released their official injury report for tonight's game in Toronto, but the Raptors have risen from an open of -2.5 to -5 at Caesars Sportsbook – which leads one to conclude that oddsmakers and bettors believe the Bucks will rest superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo in the second game of a back-to-back, as they often do.

The Greek Freak had his best game of the season Tuesday in a 123-113 home win over Washington. Antetokounmpo scored career-high 55 points on 20-for-33 shooting from the field and went 15-for-16 from the free-throw line (now that's unusual). He also logged 10 rebounds and seven assists. It was Antetokounmpo's fourth career 50-point game and topped his previous career high of 52 points on March 17, 2019 against the 76ers.

Antetokounmpo has at least 40 points, 10 rebounds and five assists in each of the last three games he's played. The only other players in NBA history to have three straight performances of at least 40/10/5 are Elgin Baylor in 1961 and 1963, Wilt Chamberlain in 1963 and Russell Westbrook in 2016. Antetokounmpo is the third player since the 1976-77 merger to have a three-game streak of 40 points and 10 rebounds. Westbrook and Moses Malone are the other two and neither reached a fourth straight.

Giannis, a +375 second-favorite at Caesars to win a third MVP Award, has scored at least 20 points in each of his last six halves of basketball. That's not bad for a big man battling knee soreness that has caused him to avoid both ends of back-to-backs of late. Caesars clearly thinks something is up, as there are no Bucks player props posted yet for Wednesday's game.

Six players have now had a 55-point game this season (Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Luka Doncic and Donovan Mitchell). That's already the most in a season in NBA history and the season isn't halfway finished.

It would be a shame if Giannis doesn't play tonight and NBA fans don't get a head-to-head matchup with fellow All-Star forward Pascal Siakam. Siakam is averaging 32.0 points in his past eight games, scoring at least 25 in each. He is averaging career highs of 26.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 6.7 assists, and is one of five players in the league to average at least 25/8/5 along with Antetokounmpo, Doncic, LeBron James and Nikola Jokic.

Toronto has won five straight vs. Milwaukee. This is the first meeting of the season between the teams. 

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