Rumors

With less than a month remaining in the NBA’s regular season, Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are at odds over whether the two-time league MVP should finish out Milwaukee’s 14 remaining games. The Bucks, per league sources, have made it clear to their franchise centerpiece that it would be in their shared interest for him to sit out with the team currently 6 1/2 games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the final Play-In Tournament spot. While injuries have forced Antetokounmpo to miss 32 games already this season, league sources tell The Athletic the 10-time All-Star forward has informed the team he has no desire to cut his season short.

New York Times

Bucks leadership has already approached Antetokounmpo about the idea of not playing another game for Milwaukee this season, which the franchise’s all-time leading scorer firmly rebuffed, league sources told The Athletic Tuesday.

New York Times

Giannis Antetokounmpo left Milwaukee's game against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday after landing awkwardly as he completed a dunk late in the third quarter of the Bucks' 134-123 victory. Antetokounmpo briefly remained in the game and dunked again on Milwaukee's next possession. He got fouled on the possession after that and attempted a pair of free throws before heading to the locker room. He didn't play the rest of the way. Antetokounmpo ended up with 31 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists in 30 minutes.

ESPN

Marc Stein: Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo has now been ruled out of today’s game against Atlanta with a left ankle sprain.

x.com

Brad Rowland: Jonathan Kuminga (left knee injury management) is OUT for Saturday afternoon against Milwaukee. Dyson Daniels is not listed on the injury report.

x.com

“Speaking of Giannis, on a scale of 1 to 10 — 10 being no doubt about it, 1 meaning it’s a possibility he’s gone — how confident are you that Giannis will be in a Bucks uniform next year?” Bobby Portis: “10 is what?” Host: “10 is no doubt in your mind.” Bobby Portis: “Uh, I’m at a five, bro. I’m right in the middle. Yes, sir … For real, it’s up in the air, man. “Obviously, just being here, our goal just isn’t to make the play-in, right? The goal isn’t to just make the playoffs. Since I’ve been here, since 2020 during the pandemic, the goal has always been championship. “So, I don’t know what that outlook is for next year. I don’t know what Giannis and his staff are going to put together to make the roster better, make us better, so we can compete for championships next year. I don’t know that.

YouTube

Shams Charania: Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return tonight against the Boston Celtics after missing the last 5-plus weeks with a right calf strain, sources tell ESPN.

x.com

Upon hearing the news, Harden had just one thought: Do whatever it takes to get back on the court as quickly as possible. He never considered surgery. “That’s too much time out,” Harden explained Sunday afternoon, following his first game in nearly a week. “Thought about playing last game. Thought about playing in Milwaukee. There’s going to be some discomfort, so just figuring out ways to fight through. “Got no other choice.”

Cleveland Plain Dealer

Joel Lorenzi: Bulls get their first win since Jan. 31, 120-97, over Milwaukee. Had a 27-0 run. Lot of Leonard Miller who was a +38 (!!!). Lot of Collin Sexton, who had 22 on 9/14 shooting (which apparently meant less Rob Dillingham). Bulls break 11-game skid.

x.com

Anthony Chiang: Tyler Herro on his back and forth with Kevin Durant: “Nothing crazy. I know Kevin a little bit. Just competing. I feel like as a team, we didn't have an edge to us in Milwaukee or Philly. So I was just trying to bring another edge to it.”

x.com

Danny Cunningham: Shorthanded #Cavs fall to the Bucks 118-116 after Jarrett Allen's would-be game-tying basket is disallowed. Really strong fight by a Cavs team that was without Donovan Mitchell, Evan Mobley and James Harden. Allen finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds and Dennis Schroder had 26 points.

Twitter

Ethan Sands: James Harden is OUT for tonight’s game against the Bucks. #NBASky

bsky.app

Ira Winderman: Prior to tonight's game in Milwaukee, Erik Spoelstra addressed Pat Riley's comments over the weekend about his preference that coaches return to suits:

x.com

Early in Antetokounmpo's NBA career, he was still learning English and often felt intimidated by how fast the words flew out of the mouths of his Milwaukee Bucks coaches and teammates. Antetokounmpo especially struggled with slang and basketball terminology after spending the first 18 years of his life in Greece. O.J. Mayo, the 2008 No. 3 pick playing for Milwaukee at the time, gave Antetokounmpo several movies such as "Friday" and "Friday After Next" to help him pick up on some of the common vernacular used by the players. But that didn't help when then-Bucks coach Jason Kidd called on Antetokounmpo in film sessions.

ESPN