Speaking after Wednesday’s win over the Pistons, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said he believed the team had ruled out an Achilles injury for Giannis Antetokounmpo, who sustained an injury initially diagnosed as a calf strain, tweets Eric Nehm of The Athletic.
“I didn’t know what it was,” Rivers said (ESPN YouTube link). “I just wanted the trainers to attend to him.”
Antetokounmpo left the game after just three minutes with what appeared to be a non-contact injury. He was able to leave the court under his own power, limping first to the bench and then to the locker room.
Rivers confirmed that Antetokounmpo underwent an MRI, according to Nehm (via Twitter), and pushed back on the idea of the injury being non-contact.
“I thought the bump, if you watch, the bump drive, that’s what threw him off balance,” Rivers said, as relayed by Nehm (Twitter link). “He got bumped then and then somebody landed on top of him… and then it looked like no one was around but I thought it was the bump that threw him off balance.”
The team has yet to provide an official update on the injury.