This will be the 32nd game the 31-year-classic Giannis Antetokounmpo has missed, the most of any season in his 13-year career.
MILWAUKEE (AP) — Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss Tuesday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers after sustaining a hyperextended left knee and a bone bruise during Sunday’s 134-123 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP, exited the game in the third quarter after an awkward landing on a dunk. Bucks coach Doc Rivers addressed the injury before the game, stating, “The solid news is it was a really good image,” adding, “There’s no damage — nothing. Just good news. But I don’t know the next part.”
The injury casts a shadow over the Bucks’ playoff push, as they currently sit 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, 5 1/2 games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the tenth and final playoff spot. Antetokounmpo initially downplayed the severity of the injury after Sunday’s win, saying, “I’m just going to go back home, sleep, notice how I feel tomorrow, try to lift some weights. If I have a little bit of discomfort, then I’ll go from there. As of now, I’m not really bothered.”
This absence marks the 32nd game Antetokounmpo has been sidelined this season, a career high for the 31-year-old. The Bucks have struggled without their star, posting an 11-20 record in games he’s missed. Rivers acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding Antetokounmpo’s return, responding to a question about balancing risk and reward with, “That’s a good question. I don’t have the answer, but it’s a particularly good question.”
Antetokounmpo has already missed significant time this season due to strains in his right calf and a sprained left ankle, sidelining him for Saturday’s 122-99 loss to the Atlanta Hawks.
