Next week’s NBA All-Star Game is reportedly about to be missing one of its biggest names.
According to basketball insider Chris Haynes, Bucks two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to be sidelined for weeks with a calf strain and will no longer be able to participate in the league’s All-Star festivities.
“League sources just relayed to me that Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will be sidelined 2-3 weeks with a calf strain,” Haynes shared Sunday morning. “He sustained the injury last week prior to a game against the Charlotte Hornets.”
“This injury comes at a crucial juncture for the Bucks considering they’ve lost six of their last eight games. He will also be forced to miss the All-Star Game next weekend in San Francisco,” he added. “Commissioner Adam Silver will pick the injury replacement and typically he selects the player that had the next most votes by the coaches.”
Antetokounmpo is in the midst of another impressive campaign where he’s averaging 31.8 points, 12.2 rebounds, 5.9 assists and 1.3 blocks per game. But to this point, it’s only resulted in a 27-23 record for the reigning Central Division champions.
Milwaukee is set to play the Philadelphia 76ers this afternoon on ABC where Hubie Brown will call his final NBA broadcast at the age of 91.
Brown got his start as an assistant coach with the Bucks back in 1972 where he had the honor of teaching the game to Oscar Robertson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — so it should be a beautiful full-circle moment for the beloved basketball mind.
It’s too bad Antetokounmpo won’t be suiting up in this one. But hopefully the Greek Freak is able to go through his recovery timeline with no setbacks and we can see him back on the court very soon.
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