The Milwaukee Bucks have been dealt another major blow, with Giannis Antetokounmpo set to miss at least one week after suffering a knee injury.
Antetokounmpo has been diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee along with a bone bruise and will be re-evaluated in one week, leaving his short-term availability uncertain as Milwaukee fights to stay alive in the playoff race, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
There was some initial relief within the organisation after imaging ruled out anything more serious. Head coach Doc Rivers addressed the situation before Tuesday’s matchup against Cleveland, confirming the positive news while admitting there is still plenty unknown.
“The good news was it was really a good image. There was no damage,” Rivers said before Tuesday’s game against the Cavs. “It was really just good news. But I don’t know the next part [about a timeline].”
The injury occurred during Sunday’s game against Indiana, where Antetokounmpo landed awkwardly following a dunk attempt in the third quarter. Despite initially feeling like he could continue, the Bucks ultimately held him out for the remainder of the game.
Rivers also gave insight into Giannis’ recent stretch since returning earlier this month, suggesting the former MVP may have been pushing his body too hard in limited minutes.
“He was trying to fit 35 minutes into 20,” Rivers said assessing Antetokounmpo’s play since his comeback. “Even the last game he was still on I think 28, which is pretty honest, that’s tight. For a coach, that’s really tight.”
The timing couldn’t be worse for Milwaukee. With just 14 games remaining in the regular season, the Bucks are sitting outside the play-in picture and struggling to generate consistency, particularly without their franchise star.
Rivers acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding how the team will approach the rest of Antetokounmpo’s season given their position in the standings.
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