milwaukee — Late in the third quarter of the Milwaukee Bucks' 104-91 victory over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night, Giannis Antetokounmpo left the game and did not return due to what the team described as a strain in his left calf. Antetokounmpo's future status remains unclear.
“[The concern level is] “High, I would say,” coach Doc Rivers said after the game. “It's Giannis. I think everyone probably feels the same way I do right now. So, we're just hoping for the best.”
On Wednesday morning, Shams Al Sharaniya He reported that an MRI showed Antetokounmpo had avoided an Achilles tendon injury in his left leg, and his return to play will depend on how he responds to treatment.
The Bucks have yet to provide an official update on their star.
“Anytime you see one of your teammates go down, it's a real level of anxiety,” Lillard said. “You know, we spend a lot of time around each other, more than we do with our families. I think that was the No. 1 thing, and then having your best player, the most important part of our team, at this point in our season — it was Like an “oh my god” moment. Especially because there was no one else around. “I was right next to him, so I saw his facial expressions, so obviously I got scared.”
Less than four minutes before the end of the third period, Celtics goalkeeper Derrick White scored a three-pointer. After passing the ball to Damian Lillard, Antetokounmpo began running up the court and suddenly collapsed.
Antetokounmpo immediately grabbed his leg and remained on the ground under the care of the Bucks' medical staff. He eventually got back to his feet and his teammates helped him off the field. Cameras in the tunnel showed him walking towards the locker room under his own strength, but with a significant limp.
Antetokounmpo has missed just six games this season, but has been plagued by nagging injuries in recent weeks. He most recently sat out April 5 against the Toronto Raptors with left hamstring tendinopathy and was listed as probable for Tuesday's game due to the same issue.
It remains to be seen how long Antetokounmpo will remain out of action. While no two players suffer or recover from injury the same way, Lillard suffered a strain in the soleus — the specific calf muscle that Antetokounmpo pulled — during the 2022-23 season. After the game, Lillard said he would be out for two weeks.
“That shit hurts,” Lillard said of the injury. “I'm usually able to walk. I feel like I have a great pain tolerance, and when I did, I started walking, and not only was it painful, it was a matter of the muscles being able to. “Don't deal with it. “So, I think once it calmed down, I found a way around it, but it's a weird feeling.”
The Bucks have already secured a spot in the playoffs, although their seeding has yet to be determined. After the win over the Celtics, they are 48-31 on the season and have a 1.5-game lead over the Orlando Magic and New York Knicks for the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference. The playoffs are scheduled to begin April 20, but the Bucks' inaugural series may not start until April 21 depending on the schedule.
Until Antetokounmpo returns, whenever that is possible, Khris Middleton said it will take a “team effort” to win games.
“Just encourage him to behave correctly, don't rush and risk further injury and make it worse,” Middleton said. “For our part, we just have to find a way to bridge the gap together. No one person will be able to replace someone like this.”
