Every week after hyperextending his left knee, Giannis Antetokounmpo returned to attain 20 factors with 17 … [+]
ASSOCIATED PRESS
OK, so it wasn’t fairly like Willis Reed, strolling onto the ground of Madison Sq. Backyard for Sport 7 of the 1970 NBA Finals regardless of a torn muscle in his left thigh however you could possibly excuse Milwaukee Bucks followers for feeling the identical means after they realized Giannis Antetokounmopo was taking the ground Tuesday night time for the staff’s first Finals look in 47 years.
The 2-time league Most Useful Participant and Milwaukee’s first bona fide famous person since Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar wore Bucks uniforms was thought-about uncertain for the sequence opener after hyperextending his left knee in Sport 4 of the Jap Convention Finals final week in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks.
As he was helped off the ground of State Farm Enviornment instantly after the harm, which got here within the third quarter of Milwaukee’s 110-88 loss, Antetounmpo, like everyone else, feared the worst.
“I believed I used to be going to be out for a 12 months,” Antetokounmpo mentioned.
As an alternative, he and the Bucks caught a lucky break. An MRI revealed no structural harm, that means it was as much as Antetokounmpo’s physique to find out when he’d have the ability to return.
It could additionally require his teammates to maintain the Bucks’ season going lengthy sufficient for him to return, which they managed to do by closing out the sequence in six video games.
Seeing that efficiency solely motivated Antetokounmpo. When he wasn’t cheering on his teammates from the sidelines, he was understanding with the staff’s medical and training staffs in an try and get his knee again to full energy — or as shut as attainable at this level within the season — whereas holding his abilities sharp.
“(Twenty-four),” Antekounmpo mentioned when requested what number of hours a day he was spending rehabbing the knee. “From my therapy to lifting and getting on the courtroom, pool periods, holding my foot elevated, like 24 hours a day.
“Clearly it wasn’t simple however I used to be prepared to do it, and the medical employees had an amazing program for me that I used to be in a position to do what I needed to do to remain in form and on the identical time get better and never have loads of swelling in my knee.”
Judging from his efficiency Tuesday night time, the work paid off. Antetokounmpo his 6 of 11 pictures together with a 3-pointer and sank 7 of 12 free throws to complete with 20 factors; he grabbed 17 rebounds, dished out 4 assists with two steals and a blocked shot whereas taking part in 35 minutes.
And, judging from his efficiency Tuesday night time, it was additionally arduous to inform that Antetokounmpo had suffered a severe knee harm only one week earlier.
From the opening tip he was taking part in his traditional sport. Sprinting, leaping and reducing with ease; diving for free balls and preventing his means by the paint on each ends of the ground.
“There have been loads of good issues, contemplating what he is been by t(the final week),” head coach Mike Budenholzer mentioned. “I believe 17 rebounds, 20 factors, some nice play-making, passing, defending the rim.”
Budenholzer wasn’t certain Antetokounmpo can be obtainable when he spoke to reporters earlier than the sport — or, no less than that’s the story he’s going with. The Bucks listed him as “Uncertain” on their harm report filed Monday night time however that had been upgraded to “Questionable” on Tuesday afternoon.
By sport time, Antetokounmpo felt like he was able to go. The staff’s medical employees agreed, clearing him for motion and after a productive pregame exercise, Budenholzer put Antetokounmpo again in his beginning lineup.
“I believe you have to take heed to Giannis first,” Budenholzer mentioned. “He felt good. The Sports activities Efficiency Group felt good, he had been checking packing containers the final couple days and making progress and so he was cleared, and he wished to go and everyone was on the identical web page. It is only a credit score to him. And we talked, simply the work he places in, the work the Sports activities Efficiency Group places in, for him to be again taking part in in Sport 1, it is actually spectacular what he did.”
Really feel-good moments apart, Antetokounmpo’s return wasn’t sufficient for the Bucks to dropped their third straight sequence opener of the postseason and fifth of their final seven general.
It probably didn’t assist that the Suns, after dispatching the Clippers in 5 video games, had been resting up and enjoyable whereas Antetokounmpo was rehabbing and the Bucks had been battling the Hawks. Milwaukee has prided itself on utilizing each loss as a studying alternative and Budenholzer expects his staff to do the identical forward of Sport 2, Antetokounmpo included.
“He is identical to everyone else,” Budenholzer mentioned. “I am certain we’ll discover some issues the place he could possibly be higher. I am enthusiastic about how he’ll enhance from Sport 1 to Sport 2. We’ll see how he feels. However I believe play-wise, he at all times will get higher when he performs.”
