Bucks Zone

Mike Budenholzer optimistic they can have Grayson Allen back in time for the start of the NBA Playoffs

Grayson Allen will be sidelined for a while due to a sprained ankle.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
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Injuries are as much a part of the NBA fabric as slam dunks and long three-pointers. They’re unpredictable, and the last thing any team wants is for a player to go down with an injury with the NBA Playoffs looming on the horizon. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what starting wingman Grayson Allen suffered, as the ankle injury he had in their game against the Philadelphia 76ers will sideline him until the first round of the playoffs.

Ankle sprain

Allen played 20 minutes against the Sixers and had two points, five rebounds, and an assist before getting ruled out for the rest of the second half after spraining his ankle.

On Tuesday, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer shared that they are hopeful that the Duke product would have enough time to heal up and rehabilitate his injured ankle and make a return in the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

“There was an MRI. I think the findings - we're hopeful that, given that we have a week of games now and then kind of a week of preparation and waiting to see who comes out of the play-in tournaments, may coincide with he's available. So, I think we just have to see how these first four, five, six, seven days, first week goes, how much we can then push him or how much he's able to do the second week, and if everything kind of went perfect, I think there are scenarios where he could be available for the first game,” said Budenholzer.

Any injury to the lower extremity of an NBA player is always tricky, given the amount of torque and pressure put on it during competition. So, Allen’s availability will hinge on how quickly he is able to recover and build his strength in the affected area. The Bucks will monitor him carefully but remain optimistic about his availability for their first game of the playoffs.

Significant contributor

While the likes of Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and Giannis Antetokounmpo have been the face of the Bucks this season, Allen has been a significant contributor in his own right. He played in 72 games for Milwaukee and averaged 10.4 points,3.3 rebounds, 2.3 assists, and 0.9 steals per game as their starting two-guard. More than those numbers, though, Allen provides solid defensive chops and fearlessness in defending some of the league’s best perimeter players.

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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.