Bucks may need to play Game 2 vs. Heat without Giannis Antetokounmpo. The latest on his status
Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo did not practice Tuesday and is listed as doubtful for Game 2 against the Miami Heat.
Antetokounmpo was limited to just 11 minutes in Game 1 on Sunday after suffering a lower back contusion and his status is now in doubt for Game 2 of the Heat’s first-round playoff series against the Bucks on Wednesday at Fiserv Forum.
This news comes just a few hours after Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer expressed optimism regarding Antetokounmpo’s availability for Game 2.
“We have 24-plus hours before game time,” Budenholzer said to reporters following Tuesday’s practice. “He’ll get treatment. And we’ll see how he feels. I think there has been a lot of progress and hopefully there’s more in the next day or so.
“I mean, I think if I’m being honest, I think there is an optimism [that Antetokounmpo will play in Game 2].”
An X-ray and MRI on Antetokounmpo’s injury returned “clean.” Despite being listed as doubtful on Tuesday evening, the Bucks could upgrade his status in time for Wednesday night’s game with injury reports updated hourly up until tipoff.
How did Antetokounmpo hurt his back?
While going up for a layup, Antetokounmpo came down hard on his back after crashing into Heat forward Kevin Love with 4:13 left in the first quarter of Game 1. The foul was called on Love, but Antetokounmpo was slow to get up and immediately reached for his back.
Antetokounmpo remained in the game and made one of the two free throws, but left the court with 1:46 remaining in the opening period and immediately went back to the locker room.
Antetokounmpo re-entered the game with 9:56 remaining in the second quarter but quickly left the court again less than two minutes later, running straight to the locker room with 8:33 remaining in the period.
Antetokounmpo never returned, as he was ruled out for the rest of the game because of the injury.
Coincidentally, Antetokounmpo has only played one full game against the Heat this season. He missed two of the four regular-season matchups because of left knee soreness and left another after just six minutes of action because of a knee injury before exiting Sunday’s Game 1 early.
In addition to possibly playing without Antetokounmpo, the Bucks have already ruled out guard Wesley Matthews for Game 2 because of a strained right calf. Matthews logged 18 minutes off Milwaukee’s bench in Game 1, finishing with six points on 2-of-4 shooting from three-point range and spending most of his minutes guarding Heat star Jimmy Butler.
On the Heat’s injury report for Game 2, Tyler Herro (right hand fracture) and Nikola Jovic (back spasms) were ruled out. Kyle Lowry (left knee soreness) is listed as questionable.
