A mild calf strain will keep Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo out of action for the next week and prevent him from participating in the All-Star Game, sources tell Shams Charania of The Athletic. Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since Feb. 2, but he’s expected to return shortly after the break, Charania adds.
However, NBA insider Chris Haynes hears that Antetokounmpo’s absence could be longer, with league sources telling him it may last “two to three weeks.”
Milwaukee has lost two of the three games that Antetokounmpo has missed since suffering the injury and has dropped six of its last eight overall. The Bucks have slid into fifth in the East and are only two games ahead of seventh-place Miami in the battle for a guaranteed playoff spot.
Any calf injury is a concern for Antetokounmpo, who missed last year’s playoff series with Indiana due to a left soleus strain. While there’s no set timetable for him to return from the current injury, the Bucks are sure to be cautious to make sure he doesn’t aggravate it any further.
Antetokounmpo was headed to the All-Star Game for the ninth straight year, being voted by fans as a frontcourt starter in the East. Commissioner Adam Silver will name his replacement.
