Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo underwent further testing which showed he had not sustained any serious damage to his right wrist, league sources told The Athletic on Monday. Here’s what you need to know:
- Antetokounmpo sprained his wrist during the Bucks’ 112-110 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. He didn’t play the rest of the game.
- His return will depend on when the swelling subsides, according to league sources.
- The 28-year-old is averaging 31.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game this season for Milwaukee (41-17), who are second in the Eastern Conference behind the Celtics (42-17).
backstory
Antetokounmpo suffered the injury at 10:55 in the second quarter of the game against Chicago after trying to block a shot at the basket.
Captaining Sunday’s NBA All-Star Game, Antetokounmpo took the field with his right wrist and thumb wrapped. He scored the first basket, committed a foul with 11:40 to go and was done for the night. His team went on to defeat Team LeBron 185-174.
What this means for the Eastern Conference
With a 12-game winning streak before the All-Star break, the Bucks currently sit second in the Eastern Conference, 41-17, just a half game behind the Boston Celtics with 24 games left on their schedule. Avoiding an extended Antetokounmpo absence should allow them to remain in a tight race at the top of the Eastern Conference and fend off the third-place 76ers, who are 2.5 games behind the Bucks, and fourth-place Cavaliers, who 4.5 games behind the Bucks. — take it
What it means for the Bucks
Antetokounmpo is once again in the middle of a tight NBA MVP race. With a career-high average of 31.8 points and 12.2 rebounds per game, he means everything to the Bucks and plays a vital role in everything they do on offense and defense.
The Bucks have struggled with injuries this season, but Antetokounmpo’s massive two-way effort helped keep Milawukee at the top of the standings. The Bucks’ two-time NBA MVP was playing his best basketball of the season before suffering an injury against the Bulls last Thursday, averaging 37.2 points, 13.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game in the previous 11 games. Keeping Antetokounmpo off injury reporting for an extended period will give the Bucks a massive boost in the final 24 games of the season. — take it
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(Photo: Jayne Kamin-Oncea / USA Today)