Giannis Antetokounmpo likely to miss early games against Pacers

The Milwaukee Bucks, who are seeded third in the Eastern Conference, are gearing up for the playoffs without their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Antetokounmpo's calf strain, sustained in the last few games of the season, has not sufficiently healed for him to participate as the playoffs kick off. However, there is still a possibility that he could make a comeback during the first round.

The injury to Antetokounmpo occurred during the third quarter of the Bucks' victory over the Boston Celtics on April 9. After passing the ball to Damian Lillard, Antetokounmpo started down the court but suddenly fell and clutched his lower left leg. He had to be assisted off the court to the locker room. An MRI later confirmed a calf strain but fortunately ruled out any damage to his Achilles tendon.

The Bucks declared that he would miss the remaining games of the regular season, although no specific timeline was provided for his return. Coach Doc Rivers did not specify when the two-time MVP might return to action but mentioned that the MRI results brought "some relief" to the team.

Before the incident against the Celtics, Giannis Antetokounmpo had only missed six games throughout the season. Despite this, he was dealing with persistent injuries, including Achilles tendinitis and hamstring tendinopathy in his left leg. "Calves, hamstrings, they're shaky," Antetokounmpo remarked following a March 14 victory over the Sixers. "You don't mess with things like strains."


Yet, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks may need to gamble or face the prospect of another season derailed by injuries. Their 2022 title defense ended in the second round without Khris Middleton, and Antetokounmpo's back injury significantly impacted their first-round departure last season.

Under Rivers, the Bucks have a 3-3 record without Antetokounmpo. However, their performance dipped sharply in the last two games, with losses of 18 points to the Oklahoma City Thunder and 25 points to the Orlando Magic. Missing Antetokounmpo for part or all of the first-round series against the Pacers— a team that has consistently challenged them this season — could severely impact their playoff chances.

This season, in 73 games, Antetokounmpo averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, and a career-high 6.5 assists, shooting 61.1 percent from the field. He was second in the league in scoring, seventh in field goal percentage, and the only player to average at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists.

The Bucks are set to start their playoff campaign at home, with Game 1 against the Pacers scheduled for Sunday.

Source CBS Sports: Giannis Antetokounmpo injury update: Bucks star expected to miss start of series vs. Pacers with calf strain
Source Yahoo Sports: Giannis Antetokounmpo to reportedly miss Bucks' early playoff games with calf strain, could return later