A pair of critical Milwaukee Bucks players have been ruled out ahead of the club's second Charlotte Hornets game in three days. Two other, less important pieces are also on the shelf, while the single-most important player on the squad remains a question mark.

LeBron James is nearing a return from his sciatica injury, with Redick confirming he had five-on-five drills with the South Bay Lakers and one-on-one drills. James also made a post on Thursday with the hourglass emoji, a hint that his return is close.

The Milwaukee Bucks are in Cleveland and look to get back on the winning track vs. the Cavaliers a nationally televised game on Nov. 17.