For the first time in NBA history, two 6-0 teams will face off when the Milwaukee Bucks host the Toronto Raptors on Monday night at Fiserv Forum. However, the game will be missing star power, as All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been placed in the NBA's concussion protocol and will be sidelined against the Raptors, per the Bucks.
Raptors star Kawhi Leonard also will sit as part of his rest strategy on the second game of a back-to-back.
Antetokounmpo caught an errant elbow from Orlando Magic forward Aaron Gordon during the first quarter of the match-up between the Bucks and Magic on Saturday night. Though Antetokounmpo initially fell to the floor after the contact, he continued to play in the game.
From the Bucks:
"Giannis Antetokounmpo has been placed in the NBA's concussion protocol and will not play in tonight's game against Toronto.
"Antetokounmpo sustained a blow to the head in Saturday night's win over Orlando. Bucks team physicians followed league protocols and consulted the league's neurologist during the evaluation periods... Antetokounmpo passed his neurological tests that created significant doubt that it was a concussion and he was allowed to return to play.
"Antetokounmpo was evaluated again yesterday and reported new symptoms along with a lingering headache. Got that reason, he was placed into the concussion protocol and will miss tonight's game vs. Toronto."
After the game against Orlando, Antetokounmpo said that he felt "fine", although he admitted that he didn't remember much of the incident.
"I just got hit in the head," Antetokounmpo said, via NBA.com. "I tried to block the shot. I fell down. I don't remember much after that. I have to be careful with that. We did some (concussion) tests in the second quarter and some additional tests in the third quarter... I just remember the hit. But I'm fine."
Gordon was impressed with Antetokounmpo's resiliency after taking the unintentional blow to the head.
"He is resilient. I hit him with the elbow, unintentionally," Gordon said. "It was hard. Props to him for coming back into the game."
