Significant Giannis Antetokounmpo Update Before Bucks-Heat Game 3

Giannis Antetokounmpo didn't practice with the team on Friday.

The Milwaukee Bucks are currently tied 1-1 with the Miami Heat in their first-round playoff series.  

Games 1 and 2 were played in Milwaukee, and now the series heads to Miami for Games 3 and 4.  

The Bucks have had to play most of the series without their best player Giannis Antetokounmpo, who got injured in the first game (back).  

For Saturday's contest, his status is still unknown, but there was an update on Friday afternoon (via Eric Nehm of The Athletic).

Nehm: "Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer tells reporters that Giannis Antetokounmpo was able to do some individual work before practice today."

Nehm: "Budenholzer told reporters that Antetokounmpo was unable to do the team stuff that they did at practice. 

And he did not have an update on Antetokounmpo's availability for Game 3." 

Budenholzer told reporters that Antetokounmpo was unable to do the team stuff that they did at practice.

And he did not have an update on Antetokounmpo's availability for Game 3.

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) April 21, 2023

Budenholzer: "We're just going to monitor him the rest of the day today. We'll monitor him tomorrow and see where he is and together with him make decisions."

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) April 21, 2023

Antetokounmpo was arguably the best player in the NBA this season and averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per contest while shooting 55.3% from the field.  

The Bucks were also the best team in the league with a 58-24 record, so Antetokounmpo's status has significant implications on the series and the NBA Playoffs as a whole. 

In 2021, he led the franchise to the NBA Championship, and last year they lost in the second round.

As for the Heat, they are the eighth seed after finishing with a 44-38 record (and losing their first play-in tournament game).  

On the road, the Bucks have gone 26-15 in 41 games played outside of Wisconsin, while the Heat are 27-14 in the 41 games they have hosted in Miami.