National Basketball Association

Giannis Antetokounmpo suffers calf strain, reportedly avoids Achilles damage

Published Apr. 10, 2024 10:01 a.m. ET

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Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury in a win over the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, but the Milwaukee Bucks star apparently avoided a worst-case scenario. 

The two-time MVP avoided damage to his left Achilles tendon, The Athletic reported. His timeline to return will be based on the calf's response to treatment and rehab. Similar calf injuries typically sideline players for a week or two, according to The Athletic. 

Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers expressed some concern over Antetokounmpo's injury following the game, telling reporters he would undergo an MRI on his calf and also would have his Achilles tested.

"He’s Giannis," Rivers said. "I think everyone probably feels the same way as I do right now. We’re just going to hope for the best."

Antetokounmpo was heading up the court after a 3-point basket by Boston’s Derrick White late in the third quarter when he grabbed his left calf and took a seat on the floor before being helped off the court.

"Any time you see one of your teammates go down, it’s I think a real level of concern," Bucks guard Damian Lillard said. "And then for it to be your best player, the most important part of our team, at this point in the season, it was like an, ‘Oh, s---’ moment, especially because there was nobody else around."

Lillard noted that he was encouraged by seeing Antetokounmpo put weight on his leg after the injury.

Bucks officials said Antetokounmpo had a left soleus strain. The soleus is a muscle in the calf.

The injury comes just as the Bucks are gearing up for the playoffs. They have three games remaining in the regular season.

"We're going to need him, so if he's got to get rest, if he's got to sit out these couple of games to be ready for the playoffs, we need him to be as close to 100 percent as he can be," Bucks forward Khris Middleton said.

Lillard noted he dealt with a similar injury last season while playing for the Portland Trail Blazers. He recalled that he came back from a calf injury after about eight or nine days, only to hurt his soleus. He said he then ended up missing about two more weeks.

"I know that feeling," Lillard said.

Antetokounmpo has missed three games since mid-March with tendinopathy in his left hamstring. He also missed a game on March 4 with left Achilles tendinitis.

This had been just the fifth time in the past 30 games that the Bucks had Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Middleton all available.

Now they have to worry about how long it will take before all three are together on the floor again.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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