ATLANTA — Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a hyperextension of his left knee that forced him out of Milwaukee’s 110-88 loss to the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals on Tuesday night.
He is expected to undergo further imaging on the knee on Wednesday, sources told ESPN.
Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer did not have an update on Antetokounmpo after the game, saying, “We’ll see how he is tomorrow.” Game 5 of the series, now tied at 2-2, is Thursday.
With just over 7 minutes remaining in the third quarter and the Bucks trailing the Hawks 62-52, Antetokounmpo jumped up to contest an alley-oop from John Collins to Clint Capela. The two-time MVP landed awkwardly on his left leg, with his knee buckling.
Antetokounmpo immediately fell to the floor and stayed down on the ground for several minutes — with Bucks and Hawks players and coaches surrounding him — before sitting up.
Antetokounmpo was helped to his feet by his brother and teammate, Thanasis. Giannis walked gingerly off the court with the help of Thanasis.
Television monitors showed Antetokounmpo walking back to the locker room without assistance, but he had a significant limp. He returned to the bench briefly before again heading to the locker room after the Hawks blew open the game by extending their lead to 20 points. Soon after, the Bucks announced he would not return.
Following a slow start to the game, Antetokounmpo had scored eight of his 14 points in the opening minutes of the second half.
“It’s not great,” P.J. Tucker said of trying to regroup without Antetokounmpo. “It’s an opportunity for someone else and everybody else to step up. It’s the Eastern Conference finals. There are no excuses. It doesn’t matter who’s playing, who’s not playing. They got guys out. Everybody’s hurt. Everybody’s banged up … you got to fight through and win.”
The Hawks were without their leading scorer, Trae Young, who was held out with a bone bruise in his right ankle.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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