Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo left Monday’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers after suffering a left groin injury that stopped him in his tracks during the second quarter. The Bucks announced he would not return, and head coach Doc Rivers provided the first real glimpse into the team’s concern after the 118-106 loss, per Bleacher Report.
Rivers told reporters the injury “didn’t look great,” adding that Antetokounmpo would undergo an MRI on Tuesday. He grabbed at the area several times during the first half and tried to fight through the discomfort, but the issue eventually forced him off the floor. “He grabbed it in the first quarter and I asked him, and he said it was fine,” Rivers explained. “Then, I think he grabbed it again and he said it was fine. Then the third time is when it happened, but I think it happened earlier, in my opinion.”
Antetokounmpo finished with 14 points in 13 minutes before the injury cut his night short. He walked off without assistance, and he did not show any visible limp when the game ended at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. The Bucks dropped to 8-7 after failing to match Cleveland’s late surge, powered by Donovan Mitchell’s 37-point effort on 14-of-22 shooting.
Rivers Awaits Imaging Results After Star’s Early Exit
The Bucks sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference, and the timing of Antetokounmpo’s injury adds pressure to a stretch where he played heavy minutes. Over his last two games before Monday’s loss, he logged more than 71 minutes of action. He missed a game on October 30 with a knee issue and then sat out against the Charlotte Hornets last week during NBA Cup group play, per News Week.
The strain appeared to worsen as Monday’s game progressed. Antetokounmpo left with 3:03 remaining in the second quarter and did not return after halftime, which raised questions about how long the Bucks may be without him, USA Today reports. Rivers made it clear the team will know more once the imaging results come in, but the tone of his comments reflected real concern about the severity.
Milwaukee struggled to replace his presence inside as the Cavaliers controlled the glass and pushed the pace in the second half. Mitchell delivered seven assists and five rebounds to go with his scoring outburst, and Cleveland’s execution overwhelmed a Bucks team forced to adjust on the fly.
Milwaukee’s Season Hinges on Antetokounmpo’s Availability
Antetokounmpo entered the night averaging 32.6 points, 11.3 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game as he chased a third MVP award. He dealt with several injuries last season that forced him to miss 15 games, but he still averaged 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.2 blocks while keeping Milwaukee in the playoff picture for a ninth consecutive year. He remained in the MVP discussion alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic despite the team’s third straight first-round exit.
His offseason included widespread speculation about his long-term future with the franchise, but he chose to stay and recommit to the organization. The Bucks built their identity around him for more than a decade, and he continues to give them a legitimate chance to win regardless of who surrounds him in the lineup.
That reality underscores how much this injury means for Milwaukee. Giannis Antetokounmpo has powered nearly every positive stretch of the team’s 8-6 start before Monday’s loss, and the Bucks rely on his durability as much as his production. If the MRI reveals a more significant strain, Milwaukee could face an extended period without its most important player.
The Bucks will now wait for further evaluation while preparing for the possibility that their anchor may miss time. Rivers’ comments suggest no one in Milwaukee wants to assume the worst, but the team prepares for it anyway. The MRI will dictate the next steps, and the Bucks will soon learn how much this groin injury will impact their season.
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