MILWAUKEE (AP) — Giannis Antetokounmpo could be on the verge of returning from a calf strain that has caused the two-time MVP to miss the Milwaukee Bucks’ last 15 games.
The Bucks have released an injury report that lists Antetokounmpo as questionable for their Monday night game with the Boston Celtics.
The 31-year-old Antetokounmpo hasn’t played since straining his right calf Jan. 23 in a 102-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets. A right calf strain also
had prevented him from playing for three weeks in December.
Antetokounmpo has missed a career-high 29 games this season, and 23 of them were because of calf strains. The Bucks are 15-15 with Antetokounmpo and 11-18 without him this season.
His return comes with the Bucks trying to work their way into the play-in tournament as they seek a 10th straight playoff berth.
Milwaukee is 11th in the Eastern Conference standings, three games behind 10th-place Charlotte. The teams that finish the regular season seventh through 10th in the conference compete in a tournament for the East’s two final playoff spots.
The Bucks put together an 8-2 stretch without Antetokounmpo from Feb. 3-25 but have lost their last two games by a combined 52 points. The Bucks were outscored 33-8 in the fourth quarter of a 120-97 loss at Chicago on Sunday that ended the Bulls’ 11-game skid.
Antetokounmpo is averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He would be ranked eighth in the NBA in scoring, ninth in rebounding and just outside the top 25 in assists if he had played enough games to qualify among the league leaders.
He was selected to a 10th straight All-Star Game this season, though his injury prevented him from playing.
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