Giannis Antetokounmpo listed as questionable for Bucks, could play vs. Celtics
The Milwaukee Bucks have listed All-Star ahead Giannis Antetokounmpo as questionable for Monday’s sport towards the Boston Celtics on their first submitted damage report, opening the door for Antetokounmpo’s return to the court docket for the primary time since Jan. 23.
Antetokounmpo has missed Milwaukee’s final 15 video games with a proper calf (soleus) pressure, the second such pressure he has suffered this season. The Bucks (26-33) gained simply three of the primary 14 video games Antetokounmpo missed this season, however they’ve compiled an 8-7 document with out their famous person ahead this time round.
Despite the missed time and minutes restrictions, Antetokounmpo has nonetheless managed to common 28 factors, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists in 30 video games this season. But even with that MVP-level manufacturing, the Bucks — presently eleventh within the Eastern Conference standings — have solely compiled a 15-15 document within the video games Antetokounmpo has performed this season.
Antetokounmpo was the topic of fixed commerce rumors within the months main as much as this yr’s NBA commerce deadline, however the Bucks didn’t transfer him to a brand new workforce, and he’ll end out his thirteenth NBA season with the workforce that chosen him within the 2013 NBA Draft. On the day of the commerce deadline, TheAthletic was first to report that the Bucks star deliberate on taking part in once more this season relatively than being shut down due to the illness of accidents he picked up within the first three months of the common season.
As Antetokounmpo returns to motion, the Bucks discover themselves in a troublesome state of affairs.
Despite successful eight instances in ten tries earlier than this previous weekend, they’ve now misplaced their final two video games. The first of these losses was a 127-98 blowout defeat by the hands of the New York Knicks on Friday evening, an anticipated loss by a contending workforce. Their most up-to-date loss, nonetheless, was way more disappointing. On Sunday, the Chicago Bulls snapped an 11-game dropping streak by making a second-half comeback towards the Bucks. Furthermore, Milwaukee failed to attain a degree for seven and a half minutes and allowed a 27-0 run that flipped the sport in Chicago’s favor.
With Sunday’s loss, the Bucks dropped to 3 video games behind the Tenth-place Charlotte Hornets (30-31) for the ultimate spot within the Eastern Conference play-in event and 5 video games behind the seventh-place Orlando Magic (31-28). Their latest stretch of robust play has largely been matched or surpassed by the 2 groups immediately in entrance of them within the Eastern Conference standings, as the Atlanta Hawks have gained 5 of their final six video games and the Hornets have gained 14 of their final 17 video games.
The return of the Bucks’ two-time MVP ought to serve as a substantial increase for the workforce, however the Bucks nonetheless have fairly a bit of labor left to just do to get into the play-in event within the East.
