Status of Bucks Star Giannis Antetokounmpo TBD After Loss to Heat

Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a back contusion during the Game 1 upset home loss to the Heat on Sunday, and his status moving forward remains unclear.

Antetokounmpo sustained the injury in the first quarter when he ran into Heat forward Kevin Love in the first quarter. He did not return.

Coach Mike Budenholzer said X-Rays on the injury came back “clean.” 

“We’ll monitor him and see how he wakes up tomorrow,” Budenholzer said, via Jamal Collier of ESPN.

As for the game, the Bucks were again hurt by Heat star wing Jimmy Butler, who tallied 35 points and 11 assists, Butler went 15-of-27 from the field.

“Very elusive and very smart player,” Bucks guard Jrue Holiday said, via Ben Steele of Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “Brings the aggression to you. Sometimes it’s hard to navigate because you would think that the defender is the one initiating contact but a lot of times it’s him.

“So I think that puts the ref in a position to call it a certain way. Jimmy is Jimmy. He’s going to be aggressive. A lot of midrange. A lot of free throws. One thing that we need to cut out is the free-throw line.”