Giannis Antetokounmpo is steadily progressing through rehab of a left calf strain he suffered just over two weeks ago, according to NBA insider Shams Charania.
The Bucks star has sat out the franchise’s first two games against the Pacers in the first round of the playoffs.
Milwaukee have managed to win Game 1, thanks to a big haul from Damian Lillard, but the Pacers got one back with a blowout win on Tuesday.
Before Game 2 Doc Rivers told the media, “[He] shot today, was on the floor a bunch. He’s getting closer.”
Charania says Giannis “is progressing in his recovery from a calf injury, doing some ballhandling drills and stationary jump shooting.”
But at the same time hasn’t been doing “much cutting, no scrimmaging, no all out running yet and those are all things natural progression that he’s gonna need to have he’s gonna come back from a calf injury,” Shams said on Run it Back. “This is the same like we talked about Achilles, hamstring and now calf. They need to be cautious, they need to be careful.”
The insider also added that the injury carries a two to four week recovery timeline from the April 9 date where Giannis sustained the injury.
“The key for Giannis right now with this calf injury is starting to do some jumping on your shooting and I’m told he has at least started to do some stationary jump shooting and that was a big development for him,” Shams explained. “…When they bring him back, he’s got to go through the natural progressions. And I think that will start with the cutting and the scrimmaging and the running and the full throttle jumping on your jump shots.”
If the Bucks want to make a deep run, having Giannis back will be crucial.
But pushing him before he’s ready could result in further injury. It’s a very fine line.
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