Bucks Star Giannis Antetokounmpo to Miss Remainder of NBA Regular Season

All-NBA Milwaukee Bucks ability forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is down for the depend with a main injuries. For every the Bucks’ official X account, the 6-foot-11 superstar departed the third quarter of an eventual 104-91 Bucks acquire Tuesday night in excess of the Eastern Conference’s leading-seeded Boston Celtics with a left soleus pressure that he suffered without speak to. Imaging indicated verified the injuries.

He will sit out the three remaining online games of the 2023-24 standard time and will endure each day procedure for the ailment. Missing the past 3 video games of the normal time, with very likely a top-four seed sewn up, is a fairly benign end result for what appeared like a most likely scary ailment for “The Greek Freak.”

It is of training course a blow for the Bucks, at the moment the No. 2 seed in the East at 48-31, to reduce out on their ideal player in the course of this dwelling extend, but it absolutely looks like he will at minimum be able to return at some issue early in the playoffs.

Antetokounmpo completed the match very last night with a crew-most effective +17 plus-minus. In 28:36, he scored 15 details on 7-of-11 shooting from the subject and 1-of-2 taking pictures from the charity stripe, pulled down 8 rebounds, dished out 7 helps, blocked two shots, and swiped 1 steal.

Incredibly, recently-promoted commencing taking pictures guard Patrick Beverley was the Bucks’ top scorer on the night, notching 20 details on 8-of-13 taking pictures from the industry (4-of-8 from deep), 10 rebounds (tied for the most on the staff, along with reserve large Bobby Portis), and a few helps in just 26:08. He replaced Malik Beasley, as head coach Doc Rivers obviously required to prioritize his defense around Beasley’s 3-stage shooting marksmanship.

Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP and however easily one particular of the finest three or so gamers in the NBA, will end his standard period possessing played 73 games. The eight-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA honoree posted averages of 30.4 points on 61.1% shooting from the industry, 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks for every game.

So how will Doc Rivers choose to make up for the absence of his greatest participant in advance of the posteason? Veteran 3-and-D forward Jae Crowder would look to be the likeliest candidate to supplant Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee’s setting up lineup to stop the 12 months, but a circumstance could also be produced for Portis, a top contender for Sixth Person of the 12 months honors but a marginally more awkward defensive in shape together with Brook Lopez. Portis may perhaps be a improved over-all participant than Crowder, but he can be hidden a lot much better at heart on defense than he can be even though chasing all-around more compact, extra agile forwards at the four.