MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� The Milwaukee Bucks started the playoffs Sunday without Giannis Antetokounmpo due to the that knocked the two-time MVP out for the Bucks鈥� final three regular-season games.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Antetokounmpo was out for Game 1 of the Bucks' Eastern Conference first-round playoff series against the Indiana Pacers. Antetokounmpo had been for Sunday night's game.
Rivers said Antetokounmpo 鈥渓ooks better, for sure,鈥� but the coach didn't offer any clarity on when Antetokounmpo might be available to play. Game 2 is Tuesday in Milwaukee.
鈥淲e prepare with what's on the floor,鈥� Rivers said. 鈥淕iannis has done a lot of work. He's shooting. He's running again. He looks good. But he hasn't been able to participate, so we really prepared this week with what we have.鈥�
The two-time MVP averaged 42.2 points, 13 rebounds and 5.4 assists against the Pacers this season, and he scored a in Milwaukee鈥檚 lone victory over Indiana.
Antetokounmpo was struggling to run up the court in the third quarter of an over the Boston Celtics when he and took a seat on the floor. Antetokounmpo eventually headed to the locker room, and an MRI revealed the muscle strain.
The Bucks went 4-5 in the games Antetokounmpo missed during the regular season. That included losses in their final two games, which dropped them from second to third in the Eastern Conference.
Milwaukee has grown accustomed to playing without its stars this season. The Bucks had their top three players 鈥� Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton 鈥� all available for only five of their last 33 games.
Antetokounmpo ranked second in the NBA in scoring (30.4), sixth in rebounding (11.5) and 14th in assists (6.5) this season. He became the first player in league history to average over 30 points per game while shooting at least 60% from the floor.
Antetokounmpo has played through injuries in the postseason before.
He missed the final 1 1/2 games of a 2020 with a sprained ankle. He sat out the final two games of the 2021 Eastern Conference finals with a , but he returned to lead the Bucks to their first championship since 1971 and was named Finals MVP after scoring 50 points in a title-clinching Game 6 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Last year, a knocked Antetokounmpo out of and caused him to miss the next two games in the Bucks鈥� to Miami.
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AP NBA:
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
