Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Status for Bucks vs Knicks

Nov 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) controls the ball against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Nov 8, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) controls the ball against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) during the third quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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Giannis Antetokounmpo has had a grocery list of nagging injuries this season.

The Milwaukee Bucks two-time MVP most recently dealt with stitches mid-game, but now it appears his right patella tendinopathy is the issue.

Patellar tendinopathy, regularly referred to as 'jumper's knee,' is a common knee injury due to increased running and jumping. These are both very common for a professional basketball player.

Luckily, the Bucks listed the 2021 Finals MVP as probable for Sunday's game against the New York Knicks.

Friday night, Antetokounmpo was running and jumping all over the Orlando Magic scoring 41 points on 19-29 shooting and securing 14 rebounds.

He wasn't the only Bucks star to shine on the scoring front as Damian Lillard, also probable for Sunday, added 29 points, including two clutch free throws with 9.3 seconds left in the contest.

Free throws were not a flattering area for Milwaukee once again, going 60.9% from the charity stripe as a team. Antetokounmpo himself went 3-for-10 from the line.

The Magic, also marred by injuries this season, had a bright spot in welcoming back Paolo Banchero. Banchero, despite not playing since Oct. 30, poured in 34 points in his No. 5 seed team's defeat.

As things currently stand, the Bucks are now 20-16, good for No. 4 in the Eastern Conference.

Head coach Doc Rivers applauded his squad's resilience while also crediting a "tough" Magic team and relating how those kinds of matchups help his team further compete.

"The more competitive, tough; like [Orlando is] tough, more games like that, the better."

The team they are taking on Sunday afternoon, the Knicks, sit right above them at No. 3 in the Conference and 25-14 overall.

New York is coming off a 25-point home-defeat to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Despite this, the Knicks are 6-4 in their last 10 games.

The Bucks, also 6-4 in their last 10 matchups, are in the midst of a three-game winning streak, but Milwaukee's mediocre 8-9 record on the road is another area they can improve.

It seems as though the stars on the roster are finding their groove, despite a 2-8 start. Antetokounmpo is averaging a league-leading 31.7 points per game on an efficient 60.2% shooting with 11.9 rebounds per game, the fifth-highest mark in the league.

Lillard is enjoying 24.9 points per game and adding 7.4 assists per contest, good for ninth highest in the league.

More Bucks: Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Reacts to Magic Win, 'We Definitely Needed It'


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