PORTLAND, Ore. — Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Wednesday that 10-time All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo remains sidelined by a left knee injury that has kept him out of five games.
“He’s progressing,” Rivers said. “He’s just not healthy.”
Antetokounmpo’s status has been tied to the debate over tanking and the player participation policy. The Bucks have lost 11 of their past 14 games, and their chances of making the playoffs are slim.
The National Basketball Players Association on Tuesday issued a statement that appeared to call out the Bucks. The statement followed reports that Antetokounmpo wants to return.
“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union said in a statement. “Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked.”
Rivers was clear before Wednesday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers that Antetokounmpo was not being held out. The two-time NBA MVP hurt his knee in the third quarter of a game against the visiting Indiana Pacers on March 15.
“We’re just trying to get Giannis clear and healthy,” Rivers said. “That’s our only focus. All the other stuff, we stay above.”
The Bucks have lost three of their past four without Antetokounmpo, who is listed as out with a hyperextension of his left knee and a bone bruise. There was no timetable for his return.
