Bucks rule Giannis Antetokounmpo out for Game 3 vs. Heat

MIAMI (AP) —Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was ruled out of Game3 of his team’s Eastern Conference first-round series against theMiami Heat on Saturday night because of his ongoing back issue.

It’s thesecond full game that Antetokounmpo has missed in the series. Heplayed only 11 minutes of Game 1, was ruled out for the remainderof that game after being diagnosed with a back contusion and thendid not play Wednesday in Milwaukee’s series-tying Game 2victory.

Bucks coachMike Budenholzer said Antetokounmpo is making progress.

“We’llcontinue to monitor him, through the day tomorrow, through the daythe next day,” Budenholzer said. “He’s not in a place where he cango, so we’ll just continue to monitor and work with him and hopefor the best.”

Milwaukeeentered Saturday 12-8 this season when Antetokounmpo doesn’t playin a game.

Antetokounmpois a two-time MVP and one of three finalists — joining Denver’sNikola Jokic and Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid — for the league’s topindividual trophy this season. He averaged 31.1 points this season,fifth-best in the NBA, along with 11.8 rebounds and 5.7assists.

Antetokounmpoisn’t the only big name dealing with injuries right now.

Embiid satoutPhiladelphia’sseries-clinching win in Brooklynearlier Saturday with asprained right knee. TheLosAngeles Clippers lost to Phoenixand fell into a 3-1 holein that series after playing again without Kawhi Leonard and PaulGeorge — both, like Embiid, also dealing with sprained rightknees.

Miami will bewithout last season’s Sixth Man award winner Tyler Herro forseveral weeks because of a broken hand that was surgically repairedon Friday. And Memphis guard Ja Morant has been dealing with aright hand injury as well.

“Every team,there’s a bond and there’s a desire to be there for each other,”Budenholzer said. “I think that just heightens the competitiveness,heightens the desire when Giannis or Kawhi Leonard or Joel Embiid(is out) and those teammates, they want to be there for a guy whenhe’s injured and can’t play. It’s a little bit of that humannature. It’s the playoffs. Hopefully those things have somepositive impact, but you have to go out and play.”

WithoutAntetokounmpo in Game 2, the Bucks didn’t miss a beat. They led byas many as 36 points on the way to a 138-122 victory, one whereMilwaukee made 25 3-pointers and shot 54% from the field.

Game 4 of theBucks-Heat series is Monday in Miami. The teams were tied 1-1entering Saturday’s contest.