The Milwaukee Bucks snapped a four-game losing streak, but may have suffered an even greater loss Tuesday night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo exited in the second half of Milwaukee’s 104-91 win over the Boston Celtics after going down with a non-contact leg injury. The Bucks are categorizing the injury as a left soleus strain but provided no further details regarding a potential timetable for Antetokounmpo’s return.
Regardless, the NBA world is waiting on bated breath until Antetokounmpo’s status can be determined. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported Antetokounmpo is set to undergo an MRI on his calf.
TatumsWrld @WrldOfTatum
Hoping for the best 🙏🙏
Nate Jones @JonesOnTheNBA
Soleus is the same injury as the 2nd calf injury Dame had last season. Grade is gonna be the key for Giannis. But likely don’t see him until the playoffs. This is why blowing those 3 games against lottery teams last week was so killer. pic.twitter.com/k6UDy8MGW9
Dr. Evan Jeffries, DPT @GameInjuryDoc
Giannis Antetokounmpo is OUT tonight after this play. Looks like a calf strain and time of healing will be dependent on severity
Grade I: 1-2 weeks
Grade II: 3-6 weeks
Grade III: Likely out for season/playoffs pic.twitter.com/XjDNpqBBqk
Nathan Marzion @nathanmarzion
I’ve seen Giannis’ leg literally bend backwards and he missed a week. He’ll be alright. Put him in bubble wrap until the playoffs which will give him nearly 2 weeks off.
ProCy☘️ @ImNotProCy
Hope giannis is good come playoffs. The playoffs aint the same without him
Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Team says it’s a calf strain for Giannis. Seeing where he grabbed initially closer to the knee wouldn’t be consistent with an Achilles. But any muscle strain you’re probably looking at around 2 weeks minimum for a return time. That’s about what it was for Luka in ’22.
The Bucks have just three games remaining in their regular-season schedule and close out the regular season Sunday in Orlando. The playoffs start April 20, so Antetokounmpo will have less than two weeks of recovery time regardless of his prognosis.
Antetokounmpo finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists in a relatively understated 29 minutes of action before the injury. The Bucks showed up on both ends as a cohesive unit, with Patrick Beverley leading the team with 20 points and 10 rebounds.
Beverley was inserted into the starting lineup for Tuesday night’s game as coach Doc Rivers attempted to inject life into what had been a lifeless team in recent weeks. The Bucks dropped four straight games and six of their last seven, putting themselves in danger of losing the No. 2 seed in the East.
Tuesday’s win should help settle things down, but it’s of little solace if Antetokounmpo isn’t 100 percent for the playoffs. The Bucks were upset a year ago as the No. 1 seed due in part to Antetokounmpo missing part of their first-round series against the Miami Heat.
The Celtics, having long since locked up the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs, had a five-game winning streak snapped. Jayson Tatum led the way with 22 points, but no other Boston player scored more than 14.
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