Bucks Zone

Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer says they're erring on the side of caution when it comes to Giannis Antetokounmpo's health

Giannis has missed nine games this season because of the same knee issue.

Matthew Dugandzic

Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer says they're erring on the side of caution when it comes to Giannis Antetokounmpo's health
Milwaukee Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer says they're erring on the side of caution when it comes to Giannis Antetokounmpo's health /
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The Milwaukee Bucks played once again without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo on Monday night as he was kept out to recover from the lingering knee soreness that has bothered him for the last three games. Fortunately, the Bucks' defense and the offensive explosion of Jrue Holiday helped them come away with a 132-119 win over the Indiana Pacers.

However, with the Bucks playing the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night for the back end of a back-to-back, will Milwaukee have the Greek Freak this time around?

Almost there

For a while there, it looked like Antetokounmpo would make his return to the lineup Monday night, as he went through his usual pregame routine and shootaround. However, the Bucks' medical team eventually decided to keep their star out for yet another game. His absence is the ninth this season, all of which has been caused by his knee troubles.

"I think his communication and the medical group just feel like this is where he is," Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said. "Today, he's out. It's kind of the stuff that he and us have dealt with."

Budenholzer added that this situation isn't far from what they deal with when it comes to Antetokounmpo and his knee soreness. He also said that the team is erring on the side of caution when it comes to the Greek Freak's health and recovery.

"For me, it's each year that I've been here. So, we don't think it's anything more than that. Him being healthy, taking care of him is always our priority and we're probably always going to err on the side of caution and know how important he is to us."

History of knee trouble

This is not the first time that the Bucks have had to deal with Antetokounmpo's knee injury. During the Bucks' title run in 2021, Antetokounmpo suffered a hyperextended knee in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks and would miss Games 5 and 6.

He did not suffer any ligament tears and returned in the NBA Finals, where he would lead the Bucks past the Phoenix Suns in six games. It remains to be seen if Antetokounmpo will return for Tuesday night's game against the Raptors or if he'll need more time off to recover from his lingering knee issues.

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.