Antetokounmpo back MRI ‘clean,’ reported optimism he could suit up for Game 2

As nasty as the fall was, Giannis Antetokounmpo may not miss more time with his bruised back.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said on Monday that Antetokounmpo’s MRI came back “clean.”

“I would say he’s still sore, but I think progress. And he’s getting some more treatment and I think we’ll just continue to monitor him for the next day or two. Probably fortunate that there are two days between games, so I think still mostly positive, mostly optimistic, but we’ll see how he feels over the next day or two.”

There have been multiple reports of “optimism” around the Bucks that Antetokounmpo will be able to play in Game 2 on Wednesday.

Antetokounmpo injured his back on a nasty fall in the first quarter Sunday when Kevin Love slid under him to try and take a charge. (This, along with the Ja Morant injury when Anthony Davis tried to draw a charge, has led to questions about if the NBA should have a block/charge rule.)

Antetokounmpo tried to play through the back injury but ultimately had to leave the game early in the second quarter not to return.

The Bucks went on to lose Game 1 to the Heat, a team dealing with its own injury issues — Tyler Herro fractured his hand as well. Herro will be out for the rest of this series and likely the rest of the playoffs.

Here is more on the Bucks

Takeaways from a wild first weekend of NBA playoffs NBA playoffs first round results, schedule times, and where to watch Herro fractured hand, Antetokounmpo injured back could swing series, playoffs

Antetokounmpo back MRI ‘clean,’ reported optimism he could suit up for Game 2 originally appeared on NBCSports.com