MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� Giannis Antetokounmpo says he was only able to run at less than half speed as he tried to make it back for the Milwaukee Bucks鈥� final playoff games before their first-round exit.
Antetokounmpo strained his left calf in an over the Boston Celtics and didn鈥檛 play again.
鈥淚n our opinion, it was not safe for me to be out there because I couldn鈥檛 run full speed,鈥� Antetokounmpo said Friday, one day after Milwaukee鈥檚 season ended with a to the Indiana Pacers. 鈥淚 could run only 30-40%. Even now I can鈥檛 run full speed. I鈥檓 probably going to take a few days, weeks, whatever, months, I don鈥檛 know how long it鈥檒l take until I get back to whatever I need to get back to.鈥�
This marks the second straight season in which Milwaukee has lost in the first round of the playoffs with its two-time MVP limited by injuries. Antetokounmpo missed 2 1/2 games in Milwaukee鈥檚 to the Miami Heat last year with a
Antetokounmpo mentioned the possibility of changing his offseason program or perhaps even adapting his playing style as he attempts to stay healthy.
鈥淚 have to be a little bit lucky,鈥� Antetokounmpo said. 鈥淚 have to be a little bit careful. Maybe I have to even adjust my game, the way I play. There鈥檚 a lot of things. I鈥檓 willing to do anything 鈥� anything and everything 鈥� in order for me to be right there on the court and not let my teammates down.鈥�
Antetokounmpo has a history of making extraordinarily rapid recoveries from injuries. The most notable example came in 2021, when he missed the last two games of the Eastern Conference finals with a but played the and scored 50 points in a title-clinching over the Phoenix Suns.
This injury was different.
For one thing, Antetokounmpo believed it was his first non-contact injury. He was running up the court that April 9 evening when he took a seat on the floor and
Antetokounmpo then realized he wasn鈥檛 recovering quite as quickly as usual. He would wake up with his mind and heart telling him he was going to play that day, but his body would say something different once he took the floor.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the first time in my career that鈥檚 ever happened to me,鈥� Antetokounmpo said.
It鈥檚 tough to figure out how much to read into the Bucks鈥� playoff performance because of their injury situation. Not only did Antetokounmpo not play at all, with an Achilles issue. Khris Middleton played the entire series but dealt with a sprained ankle.
Most of the Bucks' key players are well into their 30s, and Antetokounmpo turns 30 on Dec. 6. Even so, Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Friday this team still has the nucleus to contend for many years to come.
鈥淚 believe in this team, I really do,鈥� Rivers said. 鈥淚 think our window is still very much open. But we got to get it right, and this summer is going to be huge.鈥�
Milwaukee鈥檚 early postseason exit followed an up-and-down regular season in which the Bucks rarely showed the championship-contending form that was anticipated from them after all the moves they made.
The Bucks after last year鈥檚 playoff loss and before training camp.
Their sky-high expectations became even more apparent when they made another coaching move and despite owning a 30-13 record. They hoped would pay off in the postseason.
Yet they still ended up with a second straight first-round loss. The Bucks went 19-23 under Rivers, including a 17-19 mark in the regular season and a 2-4 playoff record.
Part of the problem is that Rivers rarely got to coach his team at full strength. The Bucks had their top three players 鈥� Antetokounmpo, Lillard and Middleton 鈥� all available for only five of their last 39 games, including the playoffs.
The Bucks are hoping they can benefit next year from spending more time together. Antetokounmpo said he anticipates visiting Lillard in Oregon at some point this summer.
They also believe a more settled offseason could help. The Bucks didn鈥檛 acquire Lillard last year until a week before the start of training camp.
鈥淲hen I look at my performance, I know that I could have done a lot of things better,鈥� Lillard said after Game 6. 鈥淎nd I know that I鈥檓 going to have a full season of knowing the coach I鈥檓 going to be playing for, having a better idea of the guys that I鈥檓 going to be playing with. Being in Milwaukee, I鈥檝e kind of settled into things here.鈥�
But it might not make much of a difference if they encounter more untimely injuries.
鈥淲e have to figure out how to stay healthy,鈥� Antetokounmpo said. 鈥淲e have to ask the question, 鈥楥an we stay healthy? Can we be on the floor together?鈥� Because Dame and Giannis and Khris sounds good, but the history has shown that there鈥檚 times we鈥檙e not on the floor together.鈥�
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AP NBA:
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
