76ers Rival Bucks Have Injury Concerns With Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Milwaukee Bucks have health concerns as their star big man Giannis Antetokounmpo is currently dealing with a wrist injury.
In his last appearance on the court prior to the 2023 NBA All-Star game, Antetokounmpo spent a little over nine minutes on the court in the Bucks’ February 16 matchup against the Chicago Bulls.
During the outing, Antetokounmpo went 1-4 from the field, scoring two points. He also came down with seven rebounds while producing three assists.
After leaving the game prematurely, there have been concerns about Antetokounmpo’s wrist, which put his All-Star status in question. As the captain coming out of the Eastern Conference, Antetokounmpo had no choice but to participate in Sunday’s festivities.
But his participation didn’t last very long. With his wrist taped up, Antetokounmpo was asked whether he would play or not before the game. While he confirmed he would be a part of the matchup, Antetokounmpo’s shift lasted just 20 seconds.
The Greek Freak’s night ended on a high note as his team defeated LeBron James’ 184-175. Now, he’s focused on the next steps in his injury recovery.
According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, Antetokounmpo has plans to travel to New York on Monday to get further testing done on his wrist.
Currently, the Bucks and the Sixers are among the Eastern Conference’s top three teams. With a little over 20 games left to go in the season, both Eastern Conference contenders are bound to make the playoffs.
It’s unclear how serious Antetokounmpo’s wrist injury is at the moment, but his status moving forward could be notable in the East’s race.
When the Sixers resume play on Thursday against the Memphis Grizzlies, they’ll be three games behind the first-seeded Boston Celtics. They are currently 2.5 games behind the 41-17 Bucks.
A lot can change down the stretch. And if Antetokounmpo’s injury is significant enough to take him off the court for some time, Philadelphia could see a seeding change as a result.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.