The Milwaukee Bucks may have to start the playoffs without their star player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is still recovering from a left calf strain he sustained on April 9.
Giannis sat out the last three games of the regular season, and NBA insider Shams Charania has expressed doubts about the 2020 MVP’s availability for Game 1 against the Pacers.
“Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is rehabbing daily but there’s significant uncertainty about his status for the start of the series against the Pacers on Sunday, sources report. While Giannis is known for his quick recovery, his participation in Game 1 is very much uncertain,” Charania reported.
Following the Bucks’ 113-88 loss to the Magic in their final regular season game, head coach Doc Rivers was asked about Giannis’ condition and potential availability.
“I honestly don’t have a definitive answer either way,” Rivers said. “I do know that he’s putting in the work. We’ve been receiving positive updates. He did everything yesterday, so that’s a good sign.”
The typical recovery period for a soleus strain is slightly over two weeks, suggesting that Giannis may return a few games into the first round of the playoffs.
In a positive development, Giannis’ MRI results came back clean, indicating no significant damage to his Achilles tendon.
However, rushing Giannis back before he is fully healed could result in a serious setback or potential Achilles issues, as seen with Kevin Durant’s Achilles injury in the 2019 Finals.
Durant suffered a devastating injury just a month after recovering from a calf injury.
Milwaukee will face a tough challenge against Indiana, who won the season series 1-4.
“Indiana has had our number all season, so they’re the perfect opponent,” Rivers stated. “They’ve played well against us, and they have confidence. We’ll need to be fully focused because it won’t be an easy matchup.”
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