Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to miss 4-6 weeks with a right calf strain, delivering a crushing setback to a team already in freefall.
The injury struck in the first quarter of Friday’s 102-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets. Giannis briefly left for the locker room, returned wearing a wrap, and battled through pain before he could no longer move.
“For me to stop playing? It was extremely painful,” he said, drawing from past soleus issues that sidelined him earlier this season and in the 2024 playoffs.
The Bucks fell to 18-26, sitting 11th in the Eastern Conference and 3-11 without their two-time MVP.
Coach Doc Rivers expressed concern over the recurring calf problem, noting Giannis’ defiance in staying on the court.
The timing couldn’t be worse amid mounting frustration. Reports describe Giannis’ dissatisfaction at an all-time high, with a “splintering” locker room and trade speculation swirling before the February deadline.
Recently, he blasted teammates as “selfish” after a blowout loss to Oklahoma City, decrying poor chemistry and individual play.
Still, Giannis remains focused.
“I’m going to work my butt off to come back,” he said, hoping the Bucks can still reach the play-in.
