Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Scores 20 points in preseason debut
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Antetokounmpo logged 20 points (10-18 FG, 0-1 FT), seven rebounds, two assists and two blocked shots across 20 minutes in Thursday's 107-102 loss to the Lakers.
Despite the loss, Antetokounmpo put on a show for the home crowd during his first appearance in the preseason. Although a calf strain kept Antetokounmpo out of the playoffs, he showed no ill effects from the injury over the summer as the leader of Greece's Olympic Team. Bobby Portis also excelled in Thursday's loss, providing evidence that Milwaukee's frontcourt is ready to take care of business.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Will play vs. Lakers
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Antetokounmpo will play in Thursday's game against the Lakers, head coach Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com.
Antetokounmpo got the night off during Sunday's preseason opener, and while he was widely expected to play in this matchup against the Lakers, now it's been confirmed. It's possible that he'll operate under a minutes restriction since this will be his first preseason contest and the first game he'll play since the end of the 2024 Olympics.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Plans to play Thursday
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Antetokounmpo (rest) plans to play in Thursday's preseason game against the Lakers, Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports.
Antetokounmpo got the night off during Sunday's preseason opener but will begin his ramp-up for the regular season starting Thursday. While the Bucks struggled to meet expectations during Damian Lillard's first season in Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo was his usual dominant self. The two-time MVP averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.1 blocks in 35.2 minutes per game. He also shot a career-high 61.1 percent from the field.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Out Sunday
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Antetokounmpo will not play in Sunday's preseason game against the Pistons, Eric Nehm of The Athletic reports.
Antetokounmpo will get a night off to kick off preseason action. His next opportunity to lace up will come Thursday against the Lakers.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Leads Greece to victory
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Antetokounmpo tallied 20 points (8-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 3-7 FT), seven rebounds, six assists and two steals in 33 minutes during Friday's 77-71 win over Australia in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Antetokounmpo led Greece in minutes, points and rebounds during Friday's victory. The superstar forward is the national team's focal point and got to the rim at will against Australia. While Antetokounmpo led Greece to its first win of the Olympics, they will need to win on point differential to advance to the quarterfinal round.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Scores 34 points in Olympic debut
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Antetokounmpo recorded 34 points (11-17 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 12-15 FT), five rebounds and two assists in Saturday's 86-79 loss to Canada in Group A of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Antetokounmpo was an unstoppable force for the Canadian team on the defensive end, but he wasn't able to carry the team to victory on his own, as no other Greek player reached the 20-point mark. It's not a surprise to see Antetokounmpo operating as Greece's go-to player on offense while handling a big usage rate, and that will undoubtedly be the case in the team's second game of the group stage against Spain on Tuesday.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Qualifies for Paris Olympics
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Antetokounmpo tallied 23 points (8-17 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 6-10 FT), eight rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block Sunday in the Greek national team's 80-69 win over Croatia in a FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament game.
With the win, Greece earned a spot in the 2024 Summer Games in Paris, giving Antetokounmpo the opportunity to represent his home country in the Olympics for the first time in his international career. The two-time NBA MVP will thus be in store for a busy offseason, after he had missed the final three games of the regular season as well as the entirety of the Bucks' playoff run due to a left soleus strain. Greece will make its first basketball appearance in the Olympics since 2008 on July 27, when the team takes on Canada.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Scores 13 points against Slovenia
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Antetokounmpo tallied 13 points (6-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 1-2 FT), four rebounds, two assists and one block across 21 minutes Saturday for the Greek national team Saturday in a 96-68 win over Slovenia in a FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament game.
Antetokounmpo turned in a solid outing in limited minutes as Greece cruised past Luka Doncic and Slovenia to advance to the finals in the Qualifying Tournament, with a win in the next round clinching Greece a spot in the Paris Games. After missing the final three games of the regular season as well as the entire first round of the Bucks' playoff series loss to the Pacers due to a left soleus strain, Antetokounmpo looks to be back to full health while representing his home country this summer.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Sitting out against Egypt
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Antetokounmpo is out for Thursday's FIBA World Olympic Qualifying Tournament game against Egypt due to rest purposes, Harris Stavrou of Sport24 reports.
Despite continuing to deal with a calf injury, Antetokounmpo's absence Thursday is attributed to rest. The superstar forward should be available for the remainder of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Will be limited Thursday
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Antetokounmpo (calf) practiced Wednesday and will be used on a minute restriction during Greece's Acropolis Tournament game against the Bahamas on Thursday, Harris Stavrou of SPORT24 reports.
Antetokounmpo sat out Greece's opener of the exhibition tournament but will suit up Thursday and get some game action before the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which begins July 2. The NBA superstar hasn't played since suffering a left soleus strain during a regular-season game against the Celtics on April 9.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Won't play in Acropolis opener
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Antetokounmpo (calf) is out for Tuesday's Acropolis Tournament game against Montenegro, Harris Stavrou of Sport24 reports.
Antetokounmpo will have another chance to suit up Thursday when Greece faces the Bahamas. However, it wouldn't be surprising to see the NBA superstar sit out the exhibition tournament entirely and focus on being as close to 100 percent as possible for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament, which begins July 2. Antetokounmpo said at the beginning of June that he's planning to play in the Olympics.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Will play for Greece
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Antetokounmpo (calf) will play for Greece in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Evan Sidery of Forbes Sports reports.
Antetokounmpo missed the final three games of the Bucks' regular season, followed by their six playoff games prior to being eliminated by the Pacers. The superstar forward revealed following Game 6 that he was "not close" to returning to the Bucks lineup due to his calf strain. There will be roughly a two-month gap between Milwaukee's final contest and Greece's first qualifying game, and it appears the 29-year-old will be back to full health. Barring any setbacks, he should be at full strength for the start of the 2024-25 season. The two-time MVP averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds and a career-high 6.5 assists to go along with 1.2 steals, 1.1 blocks and 0.5 triples across 35.2 minutes in 73 regular-season games last season.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Not close to full health
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Antetokounmpo (calf) disclosed last Friday that he was "not close" to returning to the Bucks lineup before the team was eliminated from the playoffs May 2 in a 120-98 loss to the Pacers in Game 6 of the first-round series, Jamal Collier of ESPN.com reports. "I did all the tests I had to do, these like protocols you have to follow and have to check the boxes," Antetokounmpo said. "I wasn't even close at checking the boxes."
Though head coach Doc Rivers had suggested last week that Antetokounmpo was close to being available to play after missing the final three games of the regular season with a left soleus strain, Rivers' comments may have been an act of gamesmanship. Antetokounmpo ultimately missed all six playoff contests, and his absence likely would have extended into the Eastern Conference semifinal round if the Bucks had advanced, as the 29-year-old estimated that he was running at about 30 or 40 percent speed. He should be closer to full health by the end of May, but Antetokounmpo likely won't have a full offseason to rest up, as he had previously expressed a desire to play for the Greek national team in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Greece will have to first earn a spot in the Olympics through a qualification tournament that will take place in the first week of July, so confirmation on whether Antetokounmpo is healthy should come shortly before that time.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Ruled out for Game 6
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Antetokounmpo (calf) has been ruled out for Thursday's Game 6 against the Pacers.
Antetokounmpo was doubtful for Thursday's matchup, but he went through pregame warmups and was considered a game-time decision. However, he never shed his doubtful tag and will be unavailable for a ninth consecutive game. If the Bucks win Game 6 and keep their season alive, Antetokounmpo could be in the mix to return to action. Despite Antetokounmpo's absence, Milwaukee will get a boost for Thursday's matchup since Damian Lillard (Achilles) has been cleared to play.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Considered game-time decision
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Antetokounmpo (calf) is considered a game-time decision for Thursday's Game 6 against Indiana, Pat Boylan of Bally Sports Indiana reports.
Antetokounmpo officially remains doubtful for Thursday's matchup, but reports ahead of tipoff have suggested that the forward is in the mix to return to the court. However, coach Doc Rivers said during his pregame press conference that Antetokounmpo is more doubtful than Damian Lillard (Achilles), who is also a game-time decision. Even though Antetokounmpo would give the Bucks a spark as they attempt to extend their season, it's possible his playing time is monitored if he's cleared to suit up.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Could return Thursday
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Antetokounmpo (calf) is working to try to make a return for Thursday's Game 6 against the Pacers, but it's unclear whether he'll be able to do so, Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN reports.
Both Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard (Achilles) are attempting to return to action as the Bucks try to keep their season alive Thursday. However, while Lillard has been upgraded to questionable, Antetokounmpo remains doubtful for now. Antetokounmpo's potential return would give the Bucks a significant boost on the road in Game 6, but it's also possible he'd face some limitations after missing the last eight matchups.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Doubtful for Game 6
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Antetokounmpo (calf) is doubtful for Thursday's Game 6 against the Pacers, Pat Boylan of Bally Sports Indiana reports.
Although the Bucks managed to keep their season alive Tuesday, they'll likely have to play without Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard (Achilles) once again as the series shifts back to Indiana on Thursday. Assuming he's unavailable for Game 6, it's unclear whether Antetokounmpo will be in the mix to return for a potential Game 7.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Ruled out for Game 5
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Antetokounmpo (calf) will not play in Tuesday's Game 5 versus the Pacers, Jeremiah Johnson of Bally Sports Indiana reports.
No surprise here, as Antetokounmpo was initially carrying a doubtful tag. Damian Lillard (Achilles) will also be held out Tuesday, leaving the Bucks in rough shape as they try to avoid elimination.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Officially doubtful
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Antetokounmpo (calf) is doubtful for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Pacers.
Antetokounmpo has yet to play this postseason due to a left calf strain he suffered against the Celtics on April 9. Coach Doc Rivers said ahead of Sunday's Game 4 loss that Antetokounmpo was cleared to run with no resistance and continues to do stationary shooting, but it seems the All-Star is still a few hurdles away from game action. Damian Lillard (Achilles) is also doubtful for Tuesday's potential elimination game, so Khris Middleton (ankle) and Brook Lopez may have to lead Milwaukee's offense again.
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Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo: Status in doubt for Game 5
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There is doubt that Antetokounmpo (calf) will be able to suit up for Tuesday's Game 5 against the Pacers, Shams Charania of The Athletic reports.
Coach Doc Rivers provided an encouraging update regarding Antetokounmpo on Sunday morning, saying that there was a chance the forward plays in the first-round series after working out by shooting and running with no resistance, per Jamal Collier of ESPN.com. However, Antetokounmpo's status is very much in question for Tuesday's matchup as the Bucks return home and hope to avoid elimination.
