Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Is Left Soleus Strain; What Is It and How Worried Should Milwaukee Fans Be?

Boston Celtics v Milwaukee Bucks
(Photo : Stacy Revere/Getty Images) MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - Giannis Antetokounmpo (#34) of the Milwaukee Bucks is injured during the second half of a game against the Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum on April 09, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The Milwaukee Bucks are back in the winning column after trashing the Boston Celtics, 104-91.

However, the team and supporters will continue to be restless after superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was forced out of the game in the third quarter following a non-contact injury.

The injury occurred while the Greek Freak was inbounding the ball to Damian Lillard after the Celtics made a shot.

He was about to spring back to their court when suddenly he limped and laid down on the hardwood.

Read more: Grizzlies' Ja Morant Gets Official Ruling on Incident Where He Punched Teen

He finished the game with 15 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, and two blocks in under 29 minutes.

Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury update

Head coach Doc Rivers said Giannis suffered from left soleus/calf strain.

"Bucks coach Doc Rivers tells reporters that Giannis Antetokounmpo is undergoing testing for his left calf, an MRI and that Antetokounmpo just left a little while ago to get it done," Bucks reporter Eric Nehm wrote on X.

The two-time MVP has been in and out of the line-up in the past month due to a hamstring injury.

When asked about Giannis's concern level, Rivers' answer was worrying.

"That's a good question. High. But he's Giannis. I think everyone probably feels the same way as I do right now. We're just going to hope for the best," he said, as ESPN reporter Jamal Collier quoted.

The Bucks are racing to be in top form as the regular season concludes by next week.

The team lost four straight games, three of them against teams it had no business losing: the Memphis Grizzlies, Washington Wizards, and Toronto Raptors.

How long does it take to heal left soleus strain 

Rivers is right. Giannis can play through the pain. Testament to that is when he returned in the NBA finals in 2021 after bending his leg backwards in the Conference Finals.

The Bucks won the championship, and he was adjudged the Finals MVP.

However, this is a different time, and based on last season's events, the Bucks need to be extra careful.

What is left soleus strain and how long does one take to recover from it?

The left soleus strain is also called a calf strain, and the extent of injury can range from partially to completely torn. A person incurs it during sudden movements like pushing off with a foot with force or sudden bursts of speed.

It is graded from I to III, depending on the severity.

Grade I is when muscle fibers are partially stretched or torn. Recovery time is 10-12 days.

Grade II involves moderate stretching of muscle fibers. The average time it takes a player to return to competitive sport is 16-21 days.

Grade III is the most severe. It is when bruising and swelling develop an hour after the injury happened. Recovery time is up to six months and may require surgery.

Right now, all Milwaukee Bucks fans can do is wait. The team, sitting in the second spot in the Eastern Conference, still has three games left.

Losing all three games may cause them to drop to the third or fourth spot if the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic (they will meet twice) win all their assignments.

Related article: Hawks Injury Report - Trae Young's Status Gets Crucial Update

© 2023 Sportsworldnews.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.

Real Time Analytics