Sports
Giannis Antetokounmpo Injured In Milwaukee Bucks' Game 1 Loss
The no. 8 seeded Miami Heat upset the Bucks in game one, beating Milwaukee 130-117. It's not clear when Giannis Antetokounmpo will return.
![Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo lays on the ground after an injury during the first half in Game 1 of an NBA basketball first-round playoff game Sunday, April 16, 2023, in Milwaukee.](https://patch.com/img/cdn20/ap/22887410/20230417/102819/styles/patch_image/public/ap23106827035948___17100642274.jpg)
MILWAUKEE, WI β The no. 1 seeded Milwaukee Bucks were stunned Sunday night in their loss to the Miami Heat, thanks in part to an early exit from MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo went out in the first quarter with a back injury, leaving the Bucks without their star power forward.
The no. 8 seeded Heat won 130-117, taking the first game of the best-of-seven series and shocking fans. The Bucks were widely expected to sweep the Heat.
Find out what's happening in Milwaukeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"We'll monitor him and see how he wakes up," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said of Antetokounmpo in the post-game news conference.
"He just wasn't moving," he added, explaining why he kept Antetokounmpo out for the remainder of the game. "Didn't look comfortable, confident. It felt like the right thing."
Find out what's happening in Milwaukeewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Budenholzer said he will wait to hear what the team doctors say before making a decision on when Antetokounmpo can return. The Bucks host game two on Wednesday before going to Miami for game three on Saturday.
"We have to wait and see what the doctors say," Budenholzer said. "Most importantly, what Giannis says. Certainly, we've been blessed with him being incredibly resilient and quick to heal. But you've just got to take it day by day and see how he's doing and see how he feels."
Giannis wasn't the only star to exist the game injured. Heat guard Tyler Herro broke his right hand while diving for a loose ball during the second quarter. Herro is expected to miss at least one game of the playoff series.
Here's what you need to know to watch game two of the Milwaukee Bucks-Miami Heat playoff series:
- When: Wednesday, April 19
- Tip-off: 8 p.m. Central
- Where: Fiserv Forum, Milwaukee
- TV: NBA TV, Bally Sports Wisconsin
- Radio: 620 WTMJ
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