Giannis Antetokounmpo opens up about calf strain, reveals extent of injury / News - Basketnews.com

Giannis Antetokounmpo says he "wasn't even close" to checking the boxes and returning.

Credit: AFP – Scanpix Credit AFP – Scanpix

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo revealed during his exit interview on Friday that he's still dealing with a calf strain, which has hindered his ability to run at full throttle since April 9th.

2-pointers this season

57%29,0Points made:29,0Accuracy:57,2%Place in standings:17Record max:44Record min:15Most made 2FGs:Giannis AntetokounmpoTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

Since then, he has been sidelined and unable to contribute to the team's first-round playoff matchup against the Indiana Pacers, a series they ultimately lost.

Antetokounmpo detailed the extent of his injury, noting that he initially had to wear a boot and struggled to walk without discomfort for about a week following the left soleus strain.

"I think I tried my best to come back to help my teammates," Antetokounmpo noted. "It's kind of hard to see them being out there and not being able to help them. But I just couldn't. I did all the tests I had to do, like protocols you have to follow and have to check the boxes, and I wasn't even close to like checking the boxes.

"In our opinion, it wasn't safe for me to be out there because I couldn't run full speed. I could run only 30-40%," he added. "Even now, I can't run full speed. I'm probably going to take a few days, weeks, months -- I don't know how long it'll take until I get back to whatever I need to get back to."

This calf strain marks the second consecutive season in which Antetokounmpo's injuries have played a key role in the Bucks' early playoff exit. Last year, he missed the majority of the series against the Miami Heat due to a back injury.

Giannis averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game in this past NBA regular season.

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