MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� Damian Lillard practiced fully but Giannis Antetokounmpo remained out of live drills Friday as the Milwaukee Bucks continued getting ready for Sunday鈥檚 playoff opener against the Indiana Pacers.
Lillard is dealing with a that limited him the last weekend of the regular season, while missed the Bucks鈥� final three regular-season games with a strained left calf. Although Bucks President Peter Feigin told Milwaukee radio station WKLH that Antetokounmpo 鈥渄efinitely will not be back for Sunday,鈥� coach Doc Rivers said he isn鈥檛 ready to rule the two-time MVP out for the start of the series.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 know yet,鈥� Rivers said Friday. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still hoping. He hasn鈥檛 done anything. Would we throw him out there? Yeah, we would. For us, still we鈥檙e not sure.鈥�
Rivers said Antetokounmpo was in the gym Friday and did 鈥渨alk-through stuff, but didn鈥檛 do anything live.鈥� Antetokounmpo averaged 42.2 points and 13 rebounds in Milwaukee鈥檚 five regular-season games with Indiana, including a franchise in the Bucks鈥� lone victory over the Pacers.
Antetokounmpo鈥檚 likely absence for the start of the series means the Bucks will have to lean more heavily on Lillard, who practiced fully Friday for the first time this week.
鈥淚 felt solid,鈥� Lillard said afterward.
Lillard sat out a on April 12. He returned two days later, but shot just 2 of 14 from the floor in a Lillard has been dealing with an Achilles issue as well as the sore adductor.
鈥淚t was good to get back into it,鈥� Lillard said. 鈥淥bviously it鈥檚 going to take me that much time. I needed today, and then tomorrow will be a better day. Even if it鈥檚 not live, I鈥檒l just feel better after getting into action and be ready for Sunday.鈥�
Lillard is returning to the playoffs for the first time since 2021, missing out with the Portland Trail Blazers the last two years. The seven-time all-NBA guard hasn鈥檛 advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs since in 2019.
鈥淥ne thing I鈥檝e been thinking about all week is I鈥檝e gone my whole career wanting an opportunity to win,鈥� Lillard said. 鈥淚 always thought I had a chance to win, but being in this situation, I keep taking myself back to how I feel here, realizing the opportunity that was in front of me. 鈥� I kind of refocus myself on that. The season is over and this is what we came here to have an opportunity to do, whether we鈥檙e healthy or not, eventually we will be. If our mind is right, we鈥檙e going to have every opportunity to get something done.鈥�
In other injury news, Rivers said reserve guard AJ Green was able participate in much of Friday鈥檚 practice. Green hadn鈥檛 practiced earlier this week and missed Milwaukee鈥檚 last two regular-season games with a sprained left ankle.
___
AP NBA:
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
