MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo won’t play in Sport 2 of the workforce’s first-round collection towards the Miami Warmth on Wednesday evening, head coach Mike Budenholzer mentioned. Antetokounmpo, who suffered a again contusion within the Bucks’ Sport 1 defeat, has achieved some on-court work and was upgraded to questionable previous to the sport, however was not cleared to play.
“He is gotten higher every day, he is bettering, which provides up optimism that he would possibly have the ability to play, and in the event you’re not questionable then it isn’t an possibility,” Budenholzer mentioned. “The one method to give us the optionality of him enjoying was to make him questionable and he is continued to enhance, however organizationally and speaking and dealing with him and the sports activities efficiency group, the choice was made he is out. We’ll proceed to watch him and anticipate for him to enhance and nonetheless proceed to be optimistic that he’ll be able to play.”
In the course of the primary quarter of Sport 1, Antetokounmpo took a swing move from Joe Ingles and drove exhausting to the basket. As he took off for the rim from simply exterior the cost circle, Kevin Love slid beneath in an try to take a cost. Antetokounmpo had his legs taken out within the course of and crashed exhausting to the ground on his decrease again.
The play was dominated a blocking foul on Love, and Antetokounmpo remained within the recreation to shoot his free throws, then continued enjoying for just a few extra minutes earlier than testing on the finish of his traditional first quarter stint. Upon exiting the sport, he went straight to the locker room, however was again out on the bench for the beginning of the second quarter.
With 9:56 remaining within the second quarter, Antetokounmpo checked again into the sport and went by means of a collection of twists and jumps close to mid-court to attempt to loosen up his again. He solely lasted a little bit over a minute, nonetheless, and subbed again out with 8:33 on the clock. Transferring gingerly, he once more went proper down the tunnel to the locker room and was formally dominated out a short while later.
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The Bucks have been trailing by eight when Antetokounmpo left the sport and by no means really recovered. A run within the third quarter briefly minimize the deficit to a few, however they trailed by double digits for giant parts of the second half and ultimately misplaced by 13.
Milwaukee has loads of expertise enjoying with out Antetokounmpo, each this season when he missed 19 video games and within the 2021 playoffs when he suffered a hyperextended knee within the Japanese Convention finals. It goes with out saying, although, that they would favor to have their two-time MVP on the ground.
“We do not need him to be harm, but it surely’s nonetheless subsequent man up mentality,” Jrue Vacation mentioned. “We have now sufficient expertise on this workforce to cowl for him till he comes again or presumably comes again. Once more, I simply do not need to see him harm as a result of I do know what it appears like, particularly Sport 1 of the playoffs.”
Throughout the common season, Antetokounmpo averaged 31.1 factors, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per recreation. He was the one participant within the league to place up at the least 30 factors, 10 rebounds and 5 assists an evening, and the Bucks have been 47-16 when he performed in comparison with 11-8 when he sat.