Bucks Zone

There is optimism that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be able to play in Game 2 vs. the Miami Heat

Hope floats regarding the availability of Giannis for Game 2.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks are hopeful that their superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will be able to take the court and play in Game 2 of their first-round series against the savvy Miami Heat. This positive piece of news comes after Giannis’ MRI on his lower back reportedly came back clean.

Still sore

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer reported on Monday that Giannis was still feeling some soreness around his lower back and that he was getting round-the-clock treatment. He added that with a couple of days off before Game 2, they would take the time to closely monitor Giannis’ back and make a decision from there.

"He's still sore, but I think progress," Budenholzer said. "He's getting some treatment, and we'll just continue to monitor him for the next day or two."

The two-time MVP played in just 11 minutes in the series opener after falling hard on his back during a drive to the basket late in the first quarter. He tried to gamely play the injury off early in the second, but it was clear from his body language that something was not right. Hence, he was subbed off, taken to the locker room, and was subsequently ruled out for the rest of the game, which the Heat won, 130-117.

"I think still mostly positive, mostly optimistic," Budenholzer added when asked how the team is feeling about Giannis’ health scare. "But we'll see how he feels over the next day or two."

The most important piece

Giannis has been known to heal quickly even from the direst of injuries, as he showed during their run to the title in the 2021 NBA Playoffs, where he suffered a knee injury in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals but eventually returned to play in the NBA Finals. This season, Giannis is in the MVP conversation once again with averages of 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game, emphasizing his value to the Bucks and their championship hopes.

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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.