It was in the middle of the third quarter of the game against the Celtics that Giannis Antetokounmpo sat on the floor holding his left calf. Supported by his brother Thanasis and by pivot Brook Lopez, he first left the field, before managing to walk back to the locker room. That's it for the images, and obviously we are very worried at the Bucks since the playoffs start in 10 days.
“I would say ‘high’”, replies Doc Rivers when asked about his level of concern. “It’s Giannis. I think everyone is probably feeling the same way I am right now. We'll just hope for the best. »
A contracture of the soleus muscle
The first diagnosis made by the Bucks is a contracture of the soleus muscle, this muscle located above the Achilles tendon between the twins. Doc Rivers still announced that Giannis was going to have an MRI to find out the severity of the lesion. His Achilles tendon will also be examined.
“Anytime you see one of your teammates get injured, it’s a real concern.”, admits Damian Lillard. “We spend a lot of time with each other, more than with our families. I think that was the No. 1 reaction. And then he's our best player, the most important element of our team at this stage of the season. »
Damian Lillard suffered the same injury
Asked about his teammate's injury during the post-match, the former Blazers leader recalled that he suffered from the same injury last season.
“This shit hurts”Lillard recalls about the injury. “Usually I'm able to walk, and I think I have a high tolerance for pain. When this happened to me, I started walking, and it wasn't just that it was so painful, it was also that the muscle just couldn't handle walking. For me, it took two weeks to come back and play. »
We will still wait for the results of the MRI and the doctors' verdict before considering a return of Giannis to the field. But the countdown is on for him to be able to play in 10 days.
