MILWAUKEE — It might not have appeared that way Sunday, but the Milwaukee Bucks have already shown this season they can have their way with the Miami Heat even when Giannis Antetokounmpo is not fully healthy.
That is especially meaningful at the moment, with the Bucks All-Star forward dealing with a back contusion and Milwaukee down 1-0 to Heat in this best-of-seven Eastern Conference opening round NBA playoff series that continues Wednesday at 9 p.m. at Fiserv Forum.
X-rays on Antetokounmpo’s back came back negative Sunday, with the coach Mike Budenholzer confirming Monday that the MRI came back clean. Like the Heat, the Bucks did not practice Monday, limited to film and non-court work.
On March 24, despite Antetokounmpo being lost 6:28 into the game due to a knee injury, the Bucks throttled the Heat 128-99.
Now, after falling 130-117 Sunday to the Heat, it may have to again be Antetokounmpo’s supporting cast stepping forward in a similar fashion.
With 4:13 left in Sunday’s first quarter, Antetokounmpo landed hard on his back after drawing a blocking foul on Heat forward Kevin Love. Antetokounmpo briefly remained in the game, before heading to the locker room. He briefly attempted to return with 9:56 to play in the second period, but was limited to the point that he left for good with 8:33 left before halftime, closing with six points and three rebounds in 10:50. During the regular season, Antetokounmpo averaged 31.1 points and 11.8 rebounds.
“We have to wait and see what the doctors say,” Budenholzer had said ahead of Monday’s team meeting. “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.”
The Bucks will get that opportunity at their Tuesday practice.
“I would say he’s still sore, but I think progress,” Budenholzer said Monday. “And he’s getting some treatment and I think we’ll just continue to monitor him for the next day or two. Probably fortunate that there are two days between games. So I think still mostly positive, mostly optimistic. But we’ll see how he feels over the next day or two.”
Antetokounmpo missed the first two games of the four-game regular-season series, with the Heat winning both of those January games in Miami.
The Bucks went 11-8 in Antetokounmpo’s absence this season.
“We don’t want him to be hurt, but it’s still next-man-up mentality,” Bucks guard Jrue Holiday said. “We have enough talent on this team to cover for him until he comes back.”
Heat forward Jimmy Butler cited the March loss to the Bucks as an example of Milwaukee’s capabilities even with a diminished Antetokounmpo.
“Obviously, when you talk about an MVP caliber player in Giannis being out, it changes the dynamic of their team,” he said. “But they’re still a very good team. I feel as though they beat us earlier in the year without Giannis, as well.”
Amid the Antetokounmpo uncertainty, the Heat’s Love said nothing should be taken for granted.
“Understand that they’re still a very, very good team,” he said. “They have the best overall record for a reason.”
So, no, no panic in the opposing locker room.
“It was Game 1,” Holiday said. “It was a good game, and we’ll learn from it.”
