Getty Images
The Milwaukee Bucks will probably be getting their MVP again Monday evening as Giannis Antetokounmpo is ready to return for Game 4 in opposition to the Miami Heat of their first-round playoff sequence, per The Athletic. Antetokounmpo missed the earlier two video games of the sequence resulting from a again contusion he sustained within the first quarter of Game 1. Antetokounmpo was seen getting photographs up throughout shootaround Monday morning with the Bucks, an ideal signal that the ache in his again has subsided.
The two-time MVP sustained the damage in Game 1 when he took a swing go from Joe Ingles and drove exhausting to the rim. As he took off to try a shot from simply exterior the cost circle, Kevin Love slid beneath in an try and take a cost. Antetokounmpo had his legs taken out within the course of and crashed exhausting to the ground on his decrease again.
Love was referred to as for a blocking foul, and Giannis remained within the recreation to shoot his free throws. He stayed within the recreation for a number of extra minutes earlier than taking his common break on the finish of the primary quarter, however he went straight again to the locker room.
The Bucks star checked again into the sport a couple of minutes into the second quarter, nonetheless he solely lasted a minute and checked proper again out. He walked again to the locker room once more, and was shortly after dominated out for the sport.
With Milwaukee down 2-1 within the sequence to the Heat, getting Giannis again is a big enhance for the top-seeded staff within the Eastern Conference. The Bucks have sorely missed Antetokounmpo on each ends of the ground, particularly within the half-court offense. Without him initiating offense and drawing a number of defenders as he barrels in direction of the rim, it makes Milwaukee’s offense extra stagnant. If Antetokounmpo is 100% wholesome, then the Bucks are in an ideal place to climb out of this early sequence gap.