Milwaukee Bucks guards Eric Bledsoe and Pat Connaughton will miss their second consecutive games on Sunday night against the Houston Rockets.
Despite getting up and down the court for 5-on-5 action during practices, both players will remain out as they as they continue to work themselves back into game shape after testing positive for the coronavirus.
The NBA-best Bucks (54-12) were able to pick up the slack without them in their 119-112 restart opener win over Boston, but know they'll need those key guys down the stretch. There is currently no timetable on their return to action, but they're staying ready.
"I'm just preparing for whenever Coach calls my number," Connaughton said after Sunday's practice. "I think obviously they have a plan; we have a great strength staff, sports science staff, and a great coaching staff, so I'm kind of just following directions as I'm told them. And I think it's kind of being taken day by day, and we'll kind of figure that out the more I do, the more simulated games, 5-on-5, 3-on-3 or whatever the stuff that they have me do on a daily basis as they see I'm ready to play. I'm sure they'll let me hop in there at some point."
With a victory against Houston, the Bucks can clinch the best record in the Eastern Conference. Connaughton is averaging 5.1 points and 4.2 rebounds in 18.3 minutes per game this season as a solid rotation player.
Throughout this process, Connaughton says he experienced "mild symptoms" with muscle aches after he tested positive for the coronavirus, which lasted about 12 hours. Other than that, it felt like a normal fever with lack of energy and loss of taste to him.
"When I have had the flu or a head cold or something like that, the only difference was that little period where I had some muscle aches," Connaughton described. "After about five days, I pretty much felt healthy."