NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was injured Friday night against the Miami Heat and had to check himself out of the ballgame.
Antetokounmpo attempted to post up on Heat center Bam Adebayo late in the first quarter before passing the ball out to his teammate and signaling to his coaches that he needed a substitution. The seven-time All Star is seen gingerly walking off the court as Milwaukee called for a timeout.
Giannis Antetokounmpo calls for a timeout and walks directly to the Bucks locker room. pic.twitter.com/GHMo3SwYpx
— Bally Sports Sun: HEAT (@BallyHEAT) February 25, 2023
Sideline reporter Cassidy Hubbarth of ESPN announced in the following quarter that Antetokounmpo suffered a right knee injury after allegedly bumping knees with one of his opponents.
Milwaukee’s Twitter account ruled the two-time league MVP out for the remainder of the game after he suffered the injury. Antetokounmpo had 4 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists prior to his abrupt exit, according to ESPN.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (right knee) will NOT return to tonight’s game.
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) February 25, 2023
If Antetokounmpo’s knee is seriously knackered and can’t play in the postseason, the Bucks will be eliminated in the first or second round. Not only is Antetokounmpo the best player on their team, but he is the best basketball player on the planet. Without him, Milwaukee will lack the star power to compete with the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Antetokounmpo’s knee injury comes a little more than week after he suffered a sprain to his right wrist against the Chicago Bulls. His bad luck with injuries is coming at an awful time for the club. (RELATED: LaMelo Ball Drives The Flashiest Cars, And Reckless As Hell At That)
There’s nobody on Milwaukee’s roster or on the free agency market that will make up for Antetokounmpo’s 22.5 points and 9.5 rebounds that he puts up on a nightly basis. If he’s out for an extended period of time, this would be the nail in the coffin for the Bucks’ season.
