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The Milwaukee Bucks finished the regular season with the best record in the entire league, but they are facing a huge challenge early on in the Playoffs. The Bucks lost 130-117 at home to the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference first round. The loss itself is not the worst part of the story, as the Bucks’ best player Giannis Antetokounmpo left the game with a back injury and many are wondering is Antetokounmpo still injured?
Late in the first quarter of the game, Antetokounmpo drove to the rim and ended up falling on his back after Heat forward Kevin Love tried to get a charge. The Greek Freak awkwardly fall and stayed on the ground for a while. Knowing how great an athlete he is, Antetokounmpo got up, and everything looked just fine. He tried to keep playing in the second quarter but was eventually taken to the locker room, and he did not return by the end of the game.
The Heat already had a double-digit lead at that point and had control of the scoreboard by the end of the game. Giannis played a total of 11 minutes, scoring 6 points. Khris Middleton scored 33 for the Bucks, but that wasn’t enough since Antetokounmpo is absolutely irreplaceable for the Bucks. Now Milwaukee is facing a difficult situation being down 1-0 and going into Game 2 with their backs against the wall.
By Icon Sport
What’s Antetokounmpo’s Injury Status Ahead of Game 2 of the Series?
It is still not confirmed is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing tonight for the Bucks in Game 2 of the series. He was listed as doubtful this morning, but his status was changed to questions during the day. The Greek Freek has found himself in a similar situation and has played through injuries times before. In 2021, when the Bucks won the NBA championship for the first time in 50 years, Antetokounmpo suffered a knee injury and still dominated the rest of the Playoffs having historic performances. Knowing the importance of the game, Antetokounmpo will definitely play even if that means playing limited minutes. The Greak Freak averaged 31.1 points (5th in the league) and 11.8 rebounds (2nd in the league) per game and there is no player on the Bucks team that can step into his shoes.
What this means for the Heat?
The Heat barely made it to the Playoffs after they lost the first game in the Play-In tournament against the Atlanta Hawks but then defeated the Chicago Bulls. The Bucks swept the Heat at this stage of the Playoffs in 2021 and will be competitive even without Antetokounmpo. Still, his absence will totally change the game plan and the Heat will have a real opportunity to take a 2-0 lead before the series moves to Miami.
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