MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo’s potential return date remains uncertain as the Milwaukee Bucks forward recovers from a calf strain that he had predicted might keep him out for four to six weeks.
The two-time MVP also said after the Bucks’ 102-100 loss to Denver on Friday that an MRI would determine he had a calf or soleus strain in his right leg. Bucks coach Doc Rivers confirmed the calf strain diagnosis Monday but didn’t speculate on when Antetokounmpo might return.
“There’s really no timetable,” Rivers said.
The 31-year-old Antetokounmpo had his right calf wrapped in the first half of the game against Denver. He didn’t appear comfortable the rest of the night and left for good with 34 seconds remaining.
“I felt like I couldn’t explode,” Antetokounmpo said after the game. “I could jog. I couldn’t get on my toes, so I was kind of jogging on my heel the majority of the game. I didn’t have the same explosiveness, but I still felt like I could help. At the end, when it popped, I had to get out. I couldn’t walk.”
Antetokounmpo previously missed eight games from Dec. 5-26 with a right calf strain. Strains to his left calf caused him to miss the 2024 playoffs and the 2025 All-Star Game.
Rivers said the Bucks haven’t considered resting Antetokounmpo for the remainder of the season despite his history of calf issues.
“There’s no thought to that,” Rivers said. “But listen, there’s no timetable either.”
The Bucks had monitored Antetokounmpo’s workload since his return. He played fewer than 30 minutes in each of his first three games back and hadn’t topped 33 minutes in any of his January games.
That didn’t stop him from getting hurt again.
“He was frustrated with that because he’s used to playing 35,” Rivers said. “We thought we handled that well. Maybe we’ll go back down. Obviously it hurts our team the minutes he’s not on the floor, but we just need him to play, and we’ve got to figure it out.”
Antetokounmpo’s injury means he won’t be playing when the NBA trade deadline arrives Feb. 5, which is noteworthy considering how much attention his future in Milwaukee has received over the last several months. Antetokounmpo repeatedly has said he’s “locked in” with the Bucks but has left open the possibility he could change his mind at some point.
The Bucks (18-26) have lost five of their last six games and are 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, putting their streak of nine consecutive playoff berths in serious jeopardy. They have gone 15-15 with Antetokounmpo and 3-11 without him this season.
Antetokounmpo acknowledged Friday he would have removed himself from that game much earlier if the Bucks owned a significantly better record. He instead played 32 minutes and had 22 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.
“I just think it speaks volume to his character and who he is as a person and player,” Bucks forward Bobby Portis said.
Rivers said he noticed the calf issue seemed to bother Antetokounmpo during Friday’s game. Rivers said Antetokounmpo generally has been good about notifying the team when the calf is hurting him too much.
“I asked our guys afterwards,” Rivers said. “As I said, I was concerned at halftime. He’s been very honest. Most of the time, he’s like, ‘Hey, it’s hurting, but it’s not bad.’ That’s what he’s relaying to medical, and they have to believe him. I think he’s been pretty good overall. He takes himself out. That’s why they left him in, because he kept saying, ‘I’m fine. I’m fine.’ Visually, I kept asking. I’m not involved in that decision-making part, but I know what I see. I kept asking. That’s a tough one.”
Antetokounmpo has averaged 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists over 30 games this season.
The Bucks also have played their last two games without second-leading scorer Kevin Porter Jr. because of an oblique strain. Rivers said there’s no indication yet when Porter might be available again.
Milwaukee will try to break out of its slump without its two leading scorers by correcting the mistakes that were made the last time Antetokounmpo missed an extended period of time.
“This is the first year this group has been together,” Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma said. “We’ve got 38 games to continue to get better as a unit and a group to where, if he comes back, we have a chance, or we do some things that are positive, a net positive for future endeavors.”
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