MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo left the Milwaukee Bucks’ game against the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night with an injury to his left calf.
He avoided damage to his left Achilles tendon, according to reports by The Athletic.
"His return to play is based on treatment and rehab response for strained calf," said Shams Charania of The Atheltic on X Wednesday morning.
Charania said these types of injuries typically have a timetable of one-to-two weeks.
Antetokounmpo was heading up the court after a 3-point basket by Boston’s Derrick White late in the third quarter when the two-time MVP grabbed his left calf and took a seat on the floor before being helped off the court. Television cameras later showed Antetokounmpo walking into the locker room under his own power.
Bucks officials said Antetokounmpo had a left soleus strain and wouldn't return to the game. The soleus is a muscle in the calf.
The injury comes just as the Bucks are gearing up for the playoffs. The Bucks 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 (next) couple of games to be ready for the playoffs, we need him to be as close to 100% 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. Lillard recalled that he came back from a calf injury after about eight or nine days, only to hurt his soleus. Lillard 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 last 30 games that the Bucks had Antetokounmpo, seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard and three-time All-Star forward Khris Middleton all available.