Giannis Antetokounmpo aggravates ankle again ahead of Bucks' final 6 games
The Milwaukee Bucks are coming ever closer to clinching the top seed in the East, but their latest victory in the quest didn’t come without a scare Thursday night.
Giannis Antetokounmpo re-tweaked his right ankle in a 128-118 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at home and did not return to the game.
Antetokounmpo clutches right ankle
With less than eight minutes left and the Bucks leading by 17, Antetokounmpo dunked and began to get back on defense. He tangled with Clippers forward Garrett Temple and fell to the ground clutching his ankle
Antetokounmpo finished with 34 points, nine rebounds and five assists in 32 minutes.
Antetokounmpo never returned to the game, but did come close to it. After working with the trainer and talking to his coach, Antetokounmpo went to the scorer’s table and waited to go back in, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. But he did not sub in after a Bucks 3-pointer and ensuing timeout by the Clippers with less than five minutes left.
"I just thought we would put him back in," head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters after the game. "I thought better of it after a couple plays."
The All-Star said after the game he felt “good” but he was walking with a significant limp, per ESPN.
Ankle injury back in the picture
Antetokounmpo sprained his right ankle March 17 in a 52-point performance against the Philadelphia 76ers. He missed games against the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers.
"Usually when you sprain your ankle, you tweak your ankle, you stay out for two, three, four games," Antetokounmpo said at the time, per ESPN. "But I don't like missing games, so I have to work through it while playing and try to get my strength with our practices."
He had played the four games since, leading the Bucks to a 4-0 home record, and will have some built-in rest time as the season closes.
Playoffs loom for Bucks
With the victory over the Clippers, the Bucks (51-17) need one win to clinch the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. There are six games left on the schedule.
The Bucks do not have an official practice Friday, but are allowed to come in for one-on-one work or small group work. They next play Sunday afternoon against the Atlanta Hawks followed by a game Monday in Brooklyn.
He’ll have two days off before a Thursday game, then two more days before playing Saturday and Sunday and another two before the regular season finale April 10.
Antetokounmpo isn’t the only Buck forced to the bench due to injury recently. Nikola Mirotic and Pau Gasol, who they picked up at the trade deadline, are out with injuries. Rookie Donte DiVincenzo is out for the rest of the year with a heel injury.
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