Giannis Antetokounmpo on Tuesday suffered a calf injury as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Boston Celtics, while the Golden State Warriors outgunned the Los Angeles Lakers in their crucial heavyweight showdown.
Former NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo crumpled to the court in a non-contact incident in the third quarter of the Bucks’ 104-91 defeat of Boston after in-bounding to teammate Damian Lillard.
Antetokounmpo, who missed games last month with an Achilles injury, hobbled off the court in clear discomfort and did not return to the game at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum.
Photo: Benny Sieu-USA Today
The Bucks said Antetokounmpo had suffered a left soleus strain and would get an MRI scan to assess the injury.
“They’re checking him now,” a downcast Milwaukee coach Doc Rivers said when quizzed about Antetokounmpo’s injury after the win.
Asked what level of concern there was about Antetokounmpo’s injury, Rivers replied: “Good question. High, I would say that. He’s Giannis.”
“I think everyone probably feels the same way as I do right now. So we’re just going to hope for the best,” he said.
Any significant injury to Antetokounmpo would be a brutal blow to the Bucks’ hopes of making a deep run in the playoffs.
The Greek star had scored 15 points with eight rebounds and seven assists before leaving Tuesday’s game.
The injury overshadowed what was an encouraging victory for the Bucks over the runaway Eastern Conference leaders, who are already assured of top seeding throughout the post-season.
The Celtics led briefly in the first quarter, but thereafter trailed to a Milwaukee team that led by 24 points in the second.
The Bucks retained a double-digit lead for the remainder of the game, with Patrick Beverley leading the Milwaukee scoring with 20 points.
Boston coach Joe Mazzulla drew positives from his team’s defeat as they prepare for the challenges of the playoffs.
“It’s good for us to be in a bunch of different situations,” Mazzulla said. “That was the first time that the game hasn’t gone our way since I can’t remember when ... it’s a good situation for us because we haven’t seen it for a while.”
The Golden State Warriors unleashed a barrage of three-pointers to overwhelm the short-handed Lakers 134-120 on the road.
The Warriors poured in 26 three-pointers from 41 attempts outside the arc, with Stephen Curry posting a perfect six of six from long range in a 23-point haul.
Klay Thompson added five three-pointers, while even Draymond Green cut loose with five threes against a Lakers team missing the injured Anthony Davis.
LeBron James led the Lakers scoring with 33 points, while Austin Reaves added 22 and Rui Hachimura 20.
In other Western Conference action, the Phoenix Suns were bumped out of the automatic playoff spots into seventh place after suffering a 105-92 defeat at home to the Los Angeles Clippers.
The New Orleans Pelicans leapfrogged over the Suns into sixth place in the West after their 110-100 defeat of the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Philadelphia 76ers’ resurgence since Joel Embiid’s return from injury continued as they bagged a sixth straight win in a 120-102 victory over the Detroit Pistons.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Embiid finished with 37 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists to leave the Sixers on 45-35, just behind the sixth-placed Indiana Pacers (46-34). Both teams have two regular-season fixtures remaining.
Sixers coach Nick Nurse said Embiid was still working his way back to full fitness.
“I think he’s still got some work to do on it, but we’re getting there,” Nurse said. “We’re just slowly inching him up the ladder, just a little bit more each game.”
In Charlotte, North Carolina, Luka Doncic scored a 39-point triple-double as the Dallas Mavericks’ hot streak continued with a 130-104 road win over the Hornets.
The Mavericks improved to 49-30 to remain in fifth place in the Western Conference.
Daniel Gafford had 26 points for the Mavs, while Kyrie Irving added 18 as Dallas cruised to victory.
Elsewhere, the Timberwolves defeated the Wizards130-121, the Pacers routed the Raptors 140-123, the Thunder overcame the the Kings 112-105, the Rockets downed the Magic 118-106, the Knicks beat the Bulls 128-117, the Nuggets silenced the Jazz 111-95, the Spurs spanked the Grizzlies 102-87 and the Heat edged the Hawks 117-111 in overtime.
Additional reporting by staff writer
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