What happened: Antetokounmpo was heading up the court following Boston’s Derrick White’s 3-pointer late in the third quarter when he grabbed his left calf and took a seat on the floor before being helped off the court.
“Anytime you see one of your teammates go down, I think it’s a real level of concern,” Bucks guard Damian Lillard said after the game. “We spend more time together than we would with our family. I believe that was the most important thing. And then for it to be your greatest player, the most important component of our squad, at this time in the season, it was like a ‘Oh, (damn)’ moment, especially since there was nobody.
Bucks officials stated that Antetokounmpo sustained a left soleus strain. The soleus is a muscle in the calf.
Impact on Bucks: The injury comes as the Bucks prepare for the playoffs. The Bucks have three games remaining in the regular season and are ranked second in the Eastern Conference. However, the New York Knicks are one game behind the Bucks in the standings for that spot.
The No. 4-seeded Orlando Magic and No. 5-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers are two games behind the Bucks, while the No. 6-seeded Indiana Pacers are 2.5 games back.
“We’re going to need him, so if he has to get rest, if he has to sit out the next couple of games to be ready for the playoffs,
The Bucks won’t have much time to worry about that, though, as they host the Magic tonight (8 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass), visit the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday (8 p.m. ET, NBA TV), and finish the season in Orlando on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, NBA League Pass).
Antetokounmpo has missed three games since mid-March due to tendinopathy in his left hamstring. In addition, he missed a game on March 4 due to left Achilles tendonitis.
This was only the fifth occasion in the previous 30 games that the Bucks had Antetokounmpo, Lillard, and Middleton available.
