The reigning champions head to Milwaukee with a clear mission and a messy injury sheet. The Oklahoma City Thunder face the Bucks at 8:30 p.m. Central (9:30 p.m. ET) on ESPN, and the final injury report paints a tough picture for both benches. The last update, filed at 4:45 p.m. on Jan. 21, confirms more outs on both sides and sets the stage for a star-driven game where rotations will matter as much as talent.

Oklahoma City just crushed Cleveland without Jalen Williams, a reminder of how deep and adaptable the champs are. Chet Holmgren, fresh off a 28-point, eight-rebound masterclass on 11-of-16 shooting, looks ready for a marquee duel with Giannis Antetokounmpo. In a season that has seen the Thunder win 36 of 44 games, they’ve found answers even when key names sit. The Bucks, at 18 wins through 44, need Giannis’ brilliance more than ever.

Final injury report: Oklahoma City Thunder

OKC will again be without a long list of rotation players. The headline: Jalen Williams (right hamstring strain) remains out for a second straight game, and the team is not rushing him back. As one internal line put it, “The organization will see where Jalen Williams is at with his right hamstring strain in a couple of weeks.” It’s caution over speed for a core piece.

• Jalen Williams — Out (Right hamstring strain), second game missed; no exact timetable
• Alex Caruso — Out (Right adductor strain)
• Isaiah Hartenstein — Out (Right soleus strain)
• Aaron Wiggins — Out (Right groin soreness)
• Thomas Sorber — Out (Right ACL)
• Nikola Topic — Out (Post-surgery recovery)
• Jaylin Williams — Out (Left glut contusion) after opening the week as questionable

That’s a lot of size and savvy off the floor. But Oklahoma City already answered the call once, blowing out the Cavaliers when Williams first sat. They’ll aim to copy-paste that plan in Milwaukee.

“OKC’s depth keeps bailing them out — can the bench do it again on the road?”

Final injury report: Milwaukee Bucks

Milwaukee’s update cut deep. After both opened as questionable on the initial Jan. 20 report, center Myles Turner (left ankle sprain) and guard Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique strain) are now out. Turner’s absence removes a major rim protector and pick-and-pop threat, while KPJ — averaging 16.8 points per game — takes a punch out of the perimeter scoring.

• Myles Turner — Out (Left ankle sprain), downgraded from questionable
• Kevin Porter Jr. — Out (Oblique muscle strain), downgraded from questionable
• Alex Antetokounmpo — Out (G League, two-way)
• Taurean Prince — Out (Neck surgery)

Without Turner and KPJ, the Bucks’ rotation shrinks and places even more weight on Giannis and the shooters around him.

Giannis vs. Chet takes center stage

Giannis is having another monster year: 28.5 points, 9.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists on a blistering 64.5% from the field. He also ranks third in advanced impact metrics like win shares per 48 and EPM. That’s MVP-level production on any night. Holmgren, meanwhile, comes in scorching after he “decimated Cleveland to the tune of 28 points, eight rebounds and two assists,” and his length can bother even elite drivers.

Milwaukee needs Giannis to dominate the paint and draw fouls. Oklahoma City wants to wall up early with Chet’s reach and timely help. The chess match will pivot on how often the Bucks can force cross-matches and make Chet defend in space — and how often OKC can turn those drives into contested midrange shots.

“If Giannis lives in the lane, it’s a coin flip. If Chet keeps him outside the charge circle, it tilts OKC.”

Bench minutes could decide it

The Bucks are most vulnerable when Giannis sits, and that was true even before tonight’s injuries. One telling preview line this week nailed it: “Oklahoma City’s bench is in prime position to win this game. If Ajay Mitchell and company can bully the Bucks during the non-Antetokounmpo minutes…” That’s the blueprint. Ajay Mitchell’s spark, OKC’s pace, and quick-trigger threes can swing short stretches into decisive runs.

Without KPJ, Milwaukee must manufacture offense from role players and hope spot-up shooters stay ready. The Thunder will hunt those non-Giannis minutes and try to win them big.

Perimeter pressure and the shooting battle

With Turner out, Milwaukee loses a stretch-five who can pull rim protectors away from the hoop. That puts more pressure on the Bucks’ shooters to open the floor for Giannis. The Thunder’s perimeter defense has been stingy, and they’re comfortable running teams off the line and into long twos.

Watch the corner threes. If Milwaukee’s wings knock them down, lanes open. If they don’t, OKC can shrink the paint and dare the Bucks into tougher shots late in the clock.

“No KPJ, no Turner — that means the Bucks need a hot 3-point night to hang with OKC’s pace.”

Form, pace and totals

Oklahoma City has won seven of its last eight after a brief cold stretch and looks settled again. Milwaukee, meanwhile, continues to search for lineup balance. For fans tracking the flow of games, combined totals have cleared the 224.5 mark in 25 of the Bucks’ first 44, and in 23 of the Thunder’s first 42. That hints at pace and points — but with both teams missing key scorers and bigs, the early rhythm could swing either way.

Tipoff, TV and the bottom line

Tip is set for 8:30 p.m. Central / 9:30 p.m. ET on ESPN from Milwaukee, WI. Expected lineups are still subject to change, but the headliners are clear: Giannis carries the Bucks, and Holmgren leads a confident Thunder team that keeps finding answers.

Even shorthanded, Oklahoma City has paths to control the game: win the non-Giannis minutes, ride Holmgren’s two-way play, and trust the bench to keep the tempo high. For Milwaukee, it’s about maximizing every Antetokounmpo minute, hitting threes, and getting just enough secondary scoring to keep pressure on the champs.

One more thread to watch: the champs know Myles Turner well after last year’s Finals, and while he won’t play, the Bucks must now reinvent some spacing on the fly. That’s a tough midweek ask against a locked-in defense. If Giannis is supernova, this is a battle. If not, the Thunder’s depth and discipline may tell the story again.

Either way, it’s a prime-time check-in on two franchises moving in different directions — and a reminder that in January, health and depth can be the biggest stars of all.