Giannis sidelined for a minimum of one week due to knee injury.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee and a bone bruise, and sources informed ESPN’s Shams Charania on Tuesday that he will undergo re-evaluation in one week.
Head coach Doc Rivers stated on Tuesday that imaging of Antetokounmpo’s knee revealed no structural damage; however, he did not provide further details regarding the injury or a timeline for Antetokounmpo’s return.
“The positive news was that the imaging looked really good. There was no damage,” Rivers mentioned prior to Tuesday’s matchup against the Cavaliers. “It was genuinely just good news. But I don’t have information on the next steps [regarding a timeline].”
Antetokounmpo, 31, landed awkwardly following a dunk during the third quarter of Sunday’s contest against the Pacers. Although he believed he could continue playing, the Bucks opted to keep him out for the remainder of the game.
Tuesday’s game will be the 32nd that Antetokounmpo has missed this season, marking the highest total of his career. He has also experienced significant absences due to strains in his right calf.
Since returning on March 2 from his latest absence, Antetokounmpo has participated in six games, averaging 25.7 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 4.7 assists over 27 minutes as the team worked to manage his workload.
“He was attempting to fit 35 minutes into 20,” Rivers remarked when evaluating Antetokounmpo’s performance since his return. “Even in the last game, he was still around 28 minutes, which is quite tight. For a coach, that’s really tight.”
In 36 games this season, Antetokounmpo continues to average 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.
However, Antetokounmpo’s return has not propelled the Bucks closer to playoff contention. Milwaukee entered Tuesday as the No. 11 seed in the Eastern Conference, trailing Charlotte by 5 1/2 games for the No. 10 seed. The Bucks have a record of 11-20 without Antetokounmpo in the lineup this season and 17-19 when he plays.
Additionally, Milwaukee is without center Myles Turner on Tuesday due to a right calf strain.
Tuesday will mark the Bucks’ 68th game of the season, leaving only 14 games remaining for a team that is slipping out of the playoff race. Rivers indicated he was uncertain how the Bucks would assess the risk of continuing Antetokounmpo’s season with the team falling significantly out of contention.
“That’s a valid question,” Rivers acknowledged on Tuesday. “I don’t have the answer, but it’s a very good question. Honestly, that’s all I can say. … It’s something we will discuss.”
