The Bucks are holding their breath on Tuesday night after star Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with a left calf injury that has head coach Doc Rivers’ level of concern at a “high” mark.
During the third quarter of the Bucks’ 104-91 win over the Celtics in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo inbounded the ball to Damian Lillard before almost immediately going to the floor after about five steps.
Antetokounmpo held the area around his calf or high ankle as he went down to the floor.
He remained on the ground for several moments after the Bucks called a timeout, and he was eventually helped off the floor by his teammates and brought right to the locker room.
Antetokounmpo was quickly ruled out of the rest of the game with a left calf injury.
Bucks officials said Antetokounmpo had a left soleus strain. The soleus is a muscle in the calf.
Antetokounmpo was quickly ruled out of the rest of the game with a left calf injury.
After the game, Rivers expressed concern over the Bucks star’s health, telling reporters that Antetokounmpo would undergo testing on his Achilles tendon and receive an MRI exam on his calf and also would have his Achilles tendon tested.
“High. But he’s Giannis,” Rivers responded when asked about where how concerned he was. “I think everyone probably feels the same way as I do right now. We’re just going hope for the best.”
Antetokounmpo finished the night with 15 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
He had entered Tuesday’s game already dealing with some health issues.
The two-time NBA MVP was listed as questionable (left hamstring tendinopathy) entering the day before his status was upgraded to probable.
Antetokounmpo was previously out for three games while dealing with the left hamstring ailment that started to flare up around mid-March.
Left Achilles tendinitis also kept him out of a March 4 game against the Clippers.
“It is unfortunate again, but hoping for the best,” Brook Lopez said Tuesday of the calf injury. “We gotta just control what we can. Obviously, Giannis is going to do whatever he can do whatever the situation may be. I don’t even know what it is yet.
“We just gotta keep showing up game by game and playing together and being ourselves.”
