Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Officially ruled out
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Antetokounmpo (calf) has been ruled out for Friday's Game 3 against the Pacers.
Antetokounmpo was doubtful on Milwaukee's initial injury report, and he'll officially miss a sixth consecutive game as the team attempts to regain a lead in the first-round series. His next chance to suit up will be in Game 4 on Sunday.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Doubtful for Friday
Rotowire
Antetokounmpo (calf) is doubtful for Friday's Game 3 against Indiana.
Antetokounmpo has been putting up shots in recent days but hadn't yet resumed running or cutting as of Wednesday. As a result, he'll likely be unavailable for a sixth consecutive game due to his calf issue. Assuming he's sidelined, his next chance to suit up will be in Sunday's Game 4.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Still not scrimmaging
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Antetokounmpo (calf) has started doing stationary jump shooting but still isn't running or cutting as of Wednesday, Shams Charania reported on FanDuel's Run It Back.
Damian Lillard had another stellar first-half performance in Game 2 but couldn't keep the Bucks close in the second half as the Pacers evened the series. Antetokounmpo's status for Game 3 on Friday likely won't be known until Thursday afternoon, but Charania suggests Milwaukee should be preparing to play without Antetokounmpo again. The MVP candidate has missed five straight games dating back to the regular season and hasn't played since April 9. However, if Antetokounmpo gets the green light, it's safe to expect he'll handle as many minutes as necessary in an attempt to keep the Bucks' postseason hopes alive.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Puts up shots Tuesday
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Coach Doc Rivers said Tuesday that Antetokounmpo (calf) was able to get on the floor to put up shots and is getting closer a return, Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports.
Antetokounmpo has already been ruled out for Tuesday's Game 2, marking his fifth straight absence due to a left calf strain. The Bucks were able to secure the victory in Game 1 over Indiana, which gives Antetokounmpo more time to return for Milwaukee's first-round series.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Officially ruled out
Rotowire
Antetokounmpo (calf) has been ruled out for Tuesday's Game 2 against the Pacers.
As expected, Antetokounmpo has been downgraded from doubtful to out while he continues to recover from a left soleus strain. Without their star player, the Bucks were able to win Game 1 behind a stellar first-half performance from Damian Lillard, affording Antetokounmpo some extra rest, but if Milwaukee drops Game 2 at home, there may be added pressure for the MVP candidate to return Friday, when the series shifts to Indiana for Game 3.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Tagged as doubtful
Rotowire
Antetokounmpo (calf) is listed as doubtful for Tuesday's Game 2 against Indiana.
Antetokounmpo's left Soleus strain appears on track to keep him sidelined for Game 2, although Milwaukee can breathe a huge sigh of relief after controlling Game 1 at home. Antetokounmpo suffering a calf-related setback would be a worst-case scenario for the Bucks, so proceeding with caution appears likely, but his status will still need to be monitored until he is officially ruled out.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Will not play Sunday
Rotowire
Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reported on NBA Countdown that Antetokounmpo (knee) has been ruled out for Sunday's Game 1 against Indiana.
Antetokounmpo had previously been listed as doubtful, so the 29-year-old being downgraded to unavailable is the expected outcome as he continues nursing a left calf strain. Antetokounmpo's situation is precarious because of the interconnected nature of the calf muscle and Achilles tendon, but his status moving forward could be partially dictated by how Milwaukee fares on a game-to-game basis. Game 2 is set for Tuesday night.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Listed doubtful for Game 1
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Antetokounmpo (calf) is doubtful to play Sunday against the Pacers, Jeremiah Johnson of Bally Sports Indiana reports.
This is not a surprise, as the chances of Antetokounmpo playing in the series opener Sunday are looking slimmer by the minute. This means Bobby Portis should be in line to play a prominent role again. If Antetokounmpo is ruled out, his next chance to suit up would come Tuesday. Antetokounmpo suffered the left calf strain versus the Celtics on April 9 and was given an optimistic recovery timeline of 1-to-2 weeks.
Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Doubtful to begin series
Rotowire
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the Bucks are preparing to be without Antetokounmpo (calf) for the beginning of their series against the Pacers.
This is in line with previous reporting, as there doesn't appear to be much optimism about Antetokounmpo appearing in the first couple games of the series. Wojnarowski adds that the Bucks are hopeful Antetokounmpo can return later in the series with constant treatment, but this is a fluid situation.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Could miss Game 1
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The Bucks have "real doubt" that Antetokounmpo (calf) will be available Sunday for Game 1 of the team's first-round playoff series versus the Pacers, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Antetokounmpo missed the final three games of the regular season with a strained left calf. At the time Antetokounmpo suffered the injury April 9, an optimistic recovery timeline of 1-to-2 weeks had been floated out, but the star forward looks like he could require additional recovery time beyond that. He'll continue to receive daily treatment over the upcoming week, and an official decision on his status for Game 1 may not be made until shortly before Sunday.
Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Will miss rest of regular season
Rotowire
The Bucks announced Wednesday that Antetokounmpo will miss the final three games of the regular season after an MRI confirmed he suffered a left soleus (calf) strain in Tuesday's 104-91 win over the Celtics.
Shams Charania reported similar sentiments earlier Wednesday on FanDuel TV's "Run It Back" program and added the optimistic return timeline for an injury of this sort is 1-to-2 weeks, which would put Antetokounmpo's status for the start of the postseason in doubt as well. With the Play-In Tournament taking place before the first round of the playoffs officially begin April 20, Antetokounmpo will have over a week to rest and rehab before the Bucks need to determine his status for Game 1 of their opening-round series.
Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Done for night with calf strain
Rotowire
Antetokounmpo has been diagnosed with a left calf strain and won't return to Tuesday's game against Boston, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports. He finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal and two blocks in 29 minutes.
Antetokounmpo was in a lot of discomfort, and the injury occurred without any contact. There's no word on the severity yet, but the forward will undergo an MRI to get more clarity. The timing is far from ideal for the Bucks, as the regular season is over in less than a week. If he's forced to miss time, the Bucks will need players like Bobby Portis, Jae Crowder and Pat Connaughton to step up.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Likely out for regular season
Rotowire
Antetokounmpo (calf) is unlikely to return for any of the Bucks' final three regular-season games, and his status for the start of the playoffs is in question, Shams Charania reported Wednesday on FanDuel TV's "Run It Back" program.
Antetokounmpo exited Tuesday's 104-91 win over the Celtics after suffering a non-contact injury in the third quarter. Though an MRI ruled out any damage to his left Achilles' tendon, he's still dealing with a left calf strain, and his return to play will be based on how his calf responds to treatment and rehab. According to Charania, the typical return timeline for any injury of this sort in 1-to-2 weeks, so the Bucks are likely to proceed cautiously with the two-time MVP for the final week of the regular season. Antetokounmpo has dealt with various injuries in his left leg this season and will presumably be monitored closely before being cleared to return for game action.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Avoids Achilles damage after MRI
Rotowire
Antetokounmpo was cleared of any damage to his left Achilles' tendon after he underwent an MRI following his early exit from Tuesday's 104-91 win over the Celtics, and his return to play will be determined by how his strained left calf responds to treatment and rehab, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
As Charania notes, Antetokounmpo has seemingly avoided a worst-case scenario after he appeared to suffer a non-contact injury to his calf while jogging up the court following a defensive possession in the third quarter. He required assistance off the court, though he appeared to be moving about the locker room under his own power before the Bucks ruled him out for the night with a left soleus muscle strain. Antetokounmpo appears safe to rule out for the second leg of a back-to-back set Wednesday versus the Magic, and he could struggle to make enough progress in the next few days to return to action for the Bucks' final two games of the regular season Friday in Oklahoma City and Sunday in Orlando.
