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Bucks forward logs 14 points and 5 rebounds in first game action since calf strain
While the Milwaukee Bucks front office was primarily focused on making their picks in this week’s NBA Draft (welcome aboard once again to AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith!), Giannis Antetokounmpo was busy marking his return to the basketball court in a 102-75 victory over the Bahamian national team in a friendly yesterday. The highlights:
This was the first appearance Antetokounmpo has been able to make since straining the soleus in his left leg (i.e. a calf strain) in early April against the Boston Celtics. While the Bucks made a good show of trying to get him back in time for the NBA Playoffs, it became clear after the team crashed out of the first round that a rapid return was never really in the cards barring a deep playoff run.
In spite of the injury and recovery process, he did commit to joining the Greek National Team as part of pre-Olympic qualifying efforts, and he’s been with the team for a few weeks now. He sat out the first few friendlies as he took part in live practice for the first time in months, and finally made his debut yesterday in a friendly against Bahamas in Piraeus, Greece.
He’d finish the night with 14 points on 5-6 shooting and a 4-6 mark from the free throw line, adding 5 rebounds, an assist and a steal for good measure. Most importantly, physically he looks very spry and like someone who benefitted from nearly two months away from the grinding toll of daily basketball work. There was clearly no hesitancy on his part as far as sprinting down the court, furious footwork to get post position, or aggressive stop-go actions that’d normally put stress on his lower legs in particular. Encouragingly, he got up for a few dunks and lob finishes to boot. He was a little less active on defense, but that is probably more a function of his assignment than any bit of leftover injury concern.
From what I gather, this was Greece’s last friendly before the start of pre-Olympic qualifying group play next week. The Greeks will face off against the Dominican Republic next Wednesday, July 3rd — they’ll also face Egypt in their sub-group before having to play whichever team advances out of the other sub-group of Slovenia, New Zealand, and Croatia for the right to participate in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games this July.