Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo out for Game 2 against Pacers

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out Sport 2 of the Milwaukee Bucks’ Japanese Convention first-round playoff collection towards the Indiana Pacers on Tuesday night time due to a lingering left calf pressure.

The 2-time MVP additionally missed Sport 1 and the Bucks’ final three regular-season video games.

“(He) shot right this moment, was on the ground a bunch,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers mentioned throughout his pregame media session. “He’s getting nearer.”

Sport 3 is Friday at Indianapolis.

Antetokounmpo was struggling to run up the court docket within the third quarter of an April 9 victory over the Boston Celtics when he grabbed his left calf and took a seat on the ground earlier than ultimately heading to the locker room. An MRI revealed the muscle pressure.

Antetokounmpo hasn’t performed since.

The Bucks have gone 6-5 within the video games Antetokounmpo has missed this season, together with a 109-94 Sport 1 victory over the Pacers on Sunday night time. Damian Lillard picked up the slack by scoring 35 factors, all within the first half.

Antetokounmpo has handled accidents within the postseason earlier than.

He missed the ultimate 1 1/2 video games of a 2020 second-round loss to Miami with a sprained ankle. He sat out the ultimate two video games of the 2021 Japanese Convention finals with a hyperextended knee, however he returned to steer the Bucks to their first championship since 1971 and was named Finals MVP after scoring 50 factors in a title-clinching Sport 6 victory over the Phoenix Suns.

Final yr, a bruised decrease again compelled Antetokounmpo out of Sport 1 and induced him to overlook the following two video games within the Bucks’ first-round loss to Miami.

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