Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has ruled out a possible Achilles injury for Giannis Antetokounmpo, after the two-time MVP suffered a right calf strain in Wednesday’s game against the Detroit Pistons.
Antetokounmpo limped off the court less than three minutes into the first quarter of the game and did not return. Since he went down with a non-contact injury, speculation grew rife about the “Greek Freak” possibly suffering an Achilles tear.
Rivers downplayed the severity of his franchise star’s injury while informing reporters that Antetokounmpo was rushed to a local hospital for an MRI after going down.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Update
“We’ve ruled that out,” Rivers said of a possible Achilles injury.
“I don’t think it was no contact, either. I thought he got bumped and someone landed on top of him, so I thought the bump made him lose his balance. It looked like there was nowhere around, but I think it was the bump that threw him off balance.”
The Bucks would go on to register a shocking 113-109 victory over the Pistons, the top seed in the East, without the services of their best player. Ryan Rollins, a contender for Most Improved Player, continued his stellar season with 22 points and eight assists, while Kevin Porter Jr. chipped in with 26 points and seven assists from 35 minutes.
Despite the win, the Bucks (10-13) remain three games below .500 and face a tall task to make the playoffs in a conference with nine teams above .500.
Worrying History of Calf Strains
As is well documented, the likes of Kevin Durant, Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton all endured devastating Achilles injuries while trying to play through calf strains. Earlier this year, Haliburton ignored the advice of many analysts and doctors and chose to play in Game 7 of the NBA Finals, when he suffered a career-altering Achilles tear.
Given the recent history of calf strains among NBA stars, it’s likely that the Bucks will be super-cautious about Antetokounmpo’s return timeline.
Antetokounmpo’s injury came less than 24 hours after ESPN’s Shams Charania dropped a bombshell report, noting that the “Greek Freak” and his representation are mulling their future in Milwaukee, and could seek a trade before the Feb. 5 deadline.
“Giannis Antetokounmpo and his agent, Alex Saratsis, are having conversations with the Milwaukee Bucks about the two-time NBA MVP’s future — and discussing whether his best fit is staying or a move elsewhere, sources told ESPN on Wednesday.
“A resolution to these talks is expected in the coming weeks, sources said, which will shape whether Antetokounmpo is available ahead of the Feb. 5 trade deadline.”
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, Antetokounmpo, who can become a free agent in 2027, has all the leverage and will dictate his next team.
“It’ll be Giannis instructing the Bucks where he wants to be traded and then the Bucks trying to make the best deal with that team,” he told “NBA Today” on Wednesday.
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