Is Giannis Antetokounmpo Playing Tonight vs Magic? Expert’s Opinion On 2x MVP’s Gruesome Injury Against Celtics

With roughly 3 minutes remaining in Q3 on Tuesday, things were going very well for the Bucks. Considering they were in the middle of a 4-game losing streak, the Bucks were right there against the Celtics until disaster hit them. There was no contact whatsoever, but their forward, Giannis Antetokounmpo suddenly fell on the court, grabbing his left leg. After sitting for some time with other members of his team, Giannis put some weight on his leg, and held Brook Lopez and Thanasis Antetokounmpo, to be supported back off the floor. Later, everyone saw him struggling and walking back to the locker room on his own. TNT broadcast crew was right in the hallway as he was walking back inside, showing him limping.

Despite the Bucks’ 104-91 glorious victory, the Bucks came out with a major announcement. Giannis suffered a major strain on his left soleus (i.e. a muscle in his calf). After the game, while the Bucks would be hooting for yet another win, their HC Doc Rivers said that the Greek Freak was going to get tested further for his left calf and Achilles tendon. As per Rivers, he went under an MRI.

With bated breaths, the Bucks’ fans waited around for further updates on Giannis, whether he was going to be fine and play against the Magic tonight. But it seems he might not be able to show up at tonight’s game. Expert Dr. Evan Jeffries came up with his opinion, along with many others, saying he “is OUT tonight after this play. Looks like a calf strain and time of healing will be dependent on severity. Grade I: 1-2 weeks. Grade II: 3-6 weeks. Grade III: Likely out for season/playoffs”

The Soleus muscle is one of the two separate muscles in one’s calf. The other one is gastrocnemius. As per the Cleveland Clinic, the soleus is wide and flat, starting right below our knees, running down our lower legs, and connecting our Achilles to our heel. Injuries here are uncommon since the muscle only crosses the ankle joint.

If Giannis does suffer a major blow to his soleus muscle, he might suffer from tightness, stiffness, and difficulty walking, since it will aggravate his pain further. It might be possible the pain will worsen for him over the next few days. Considering this, it might be possible that Giannis won’t show up in tonight’s match against the Orlando Magic.

When will Giannis Antetokounmpo return?

There are no official reports on Giannis yet, with no further word from either the franchise or any of his teammates. Considering the opinions of Dr. Evan Jeffries, Giannis might miss out on all the matches in the 2 subsequent weeks. Now, if he does miss the next two weeks, starting today, it might be extremely difficult for the team to clench their 2nd Eastern Conference standing they have right now since they are set to face OKC Thunder, who have taken big leaps this season with the third Western Conference standing. Along with the Thunder, the Bucks are obviously facing off against the Magic tonight. So, if they flake in any of these games, and grab, let’s say, any spot till #5 in the East, the Bucks are going to have a really tough time in the postseason.

Chaos will start ensuing if Giannis misses more than 2 weeks this season, which is also a possibility. Without their Greek superstar, it will be difficult for the Bucks to survive, with them going for a strenuous fight, trying to mirror the success they have achieved so far. The Greek Freak had 15 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists when he suddenly fell. He entered yesterday’s game with an average of 30.7 points per contest, which is currently the second-best in the entire league.

Giannis has missed 3 games since mid-March because of tendinopathy (left hamstring). On March 4th, he missed another game because of left Achilles tendinitis. This was the fifth time for the team where Lillard, Middleton, and Antetokounmpo were all playing. Now, they’ll have more things to focus on and worry about when can they all get together.

“We’re going to need him, so if he’s got to get rest, if he’s got to sit out these (next) couple of games to be ready for the playoffs, we need him to be as close to 100% as he can be,” Bucks forward Khris Middleton said after Giannis’ injury. But nobody could be more frightened than the HC Doc Rivers. He’s trying to keep his fingers crossed. “He’s Giannis. I think everyone probably feels the same way as I do right now. We’re just going to hope for the best.”

We can only hope Giannis gets better soon and sends ripples across the fabric of the NBA with his supreme performance.

Read More: “Feels Like Something Snapped”: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Distressing Exit Triggers Shaquille O’Neal’s Painful Memory