Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Sidelined Due to Knee Swelling

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the league’s leading scorer this season, was unexpectedly sidelined during the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA Cup game against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night due to swelling in his left knee.

Initially listed as probable with a strained left calf, Antetokounmpo had been expected to play until about an hour before tip-off, when the knee issue flared up.

Despite his absence, Damian Lillard stepped up with a stellar 37-point performance to lead the Bucks to a narrow 106-103 victory over the Heat, extending their win streak to five games.

“I never know,” said Bucks coach Doc Rivers about 90 minutes before game time, moments after the team revealed the knee concern. “Honestly, that’s breaking news to me, too, right now.”

The Bucks’ next game is at home against Washington on Saturday. Under the NBA’s player participation policy, teams must ensure star players participate in national television and In-Season Tournament games unless there’s an approved reason for their absence. Antetokounmpo, a two-time Kia MVP, fits the league’s criteria for a star player, and the Miami game was both nationally televised on TNT and an NBA Cup match.

Earlier Tuesday, the NBA fined the Atlanta Hawks $100,000 for violating the policy by holding Trae Young out of a Cup game against Boston on Nov. 12 without sufficient justification. However, Antetokounmpo’s absence doesn’t necessarily mean an investigation will follow.

Antetokounmpo, an eight-time All-Star and the reigning Eastern Conference Player of the Week—his 24th time earning the honor—has been exceptional this season, averaging a career-high 32.4 points on 61% shooting. He had played in 16 of the Bucks’ first 17 games before Tuesday night.

“Listen, the way he plays and how he works, there’s going to be things like this,” Rivers added. “And when they come, you just deal with them.”