Another playoff finish for the Milwaukee Bucks, another instance where they will lose a battle through games without one of their stars.
Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the team's last three games due to a left soleus strain. He suffered the injury in the game against the Boston Celtics on April 9.
The diagnosis is milder than what was initially feared-an Achilles injury.
Adrian Wojnarowski reported that Antetokounmpo's Achilles tendon remains fully intact, and his return will depend on how quickly he heals.
He is currently listed as out until April 20, a day before their match-up against the No. 6 Indiana Pacers.
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This will be another playoff for the Milwaukee Bucks without one of their main players if he does not make it by April 21.
Giannis played just 2.5 games in their first-round exit at the hands of the Miami Heat last season.
In the season before, the Bucks pushed the Celtics to seven games in the Eastern Conference finals without Khris Middleton.
They won the 2021 NBA title even if they had to go through the Atlanta Hawks in the Conference Finals without Giannis in 2.5 of the six games.
They lost to the Heat in the bubble Round 2 of playoffs as Giannis missed more than half of the five-game series.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's injury is a high-level concern
Last week, Bucks coach Doc Rivers said the injury to the Greek Freak is a high-level concern.
As of April 15, the severity of the injury is getting clearer.
NBA insider Shams Charania provided an update on the two-time MVP's injury. He said there is "real doubt" about his status in the first round of the NBA playoffs.
"Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is rehabbing daily but there's some real doubt for his status to begin series vs. Pacers on Sunday, sources say. Although Giannis has rare recovery ability, he's very much up in the air for Game 1," Charania wrote on X.
The Pacers have the Bucks' numbers this season, four wins against one.
Why Giannis' injury is more worrying
Giannis has repeatedly shown that he can heal faster than normal. Testament to that is when he bent his right leg backward and returned just in time for the NBA finals against the Phoenix Suns.
This injury is more concerning compared to his other injuries.
First, this is a repeat injury, meaning the wear and tear are more severe now and may require more recovery time.
Second, history tells us that forcing a return from a calf injury could be disastrous.
This happened to Kevin Durant in 2019, when he suffered a grade 1 calf strain before the playoffs while still with the Golden State Warriors.
He entered rehab for four weeks and then ruptured his Achilles in the finals against the Toronto Raptors.
The concern is mainly about Antetokounmpo's health and the Bucks' 2023-2024 season campaign.
Risking him in the first round could result in a more serious injury in the future, which could cut short his NBA career.
It would be great for their superstar if Damian Lillard and the company could steal the series without him.
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