Rivers shares his worries about Giannis Antetokounmpo's latest calf injury and what it means for the team moving forward.
The Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in a tough spot once again after star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo left Friday night's 102-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets with another right calf injury.
The two-time MVP expects to miss four to six weeks, and head coach Doc Rivers made it clear after the game that this recurring problem has him worried.
"This calf keeps coming up, and it's concerning," Rivers said after the loss. "I'm not a doctor, but I'm smart enough to know that his calf keeps bothering him and there's something that is there. It keeps happening, and that's troublesome for all of us."
A Familiar Problem Returns
This marks the second time this season that Antetokounmpo has dealt with a calf injury, as he missed eight games in December after suffering a similar strain on Dec. 3 against the Detroit Pistons and only returned to action on Dec. 27.
The 31-year-old has now missed 16 games this season due to various injuries, and in the 30 games he has played, he is averaging 28.8 points, 9.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 64.7 percent from the field.
Rivers noticed something was wrong early in Friday's game and said he asked his medical staff about Antetokounmpo's condition multiple times throughout the night.
Despite his concern, Giannis wanted to keep playing and finished with 22 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists in 32 minutes before Rivers finally pulled him with 34 seconds remaining.
"Giannis was defiant about staying in," Rivers explained. "On that one play, you could see him trying to run down the floor. To me, I had had enough. I didn't ask. I just took him out."
Where the Bucks Stand Now
The loss dropped Milwaukee to 18-26 on the season, which puts them 11th in the Eastern Conference and 2.5 games behind the Atlanta Hawks for the final play-in tournament spot.
The Bucks have gone just 3-11 in games without Antetokounmpo this season, showing how much they rely on their franchise cornerstone to compete.
With the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaching, the timing of this injury could not be worse for Milwaukee.
The Bucks have been looking to add pieces around Giannis rather than trade him, but their struggles without him on the court make it hard to see how they can climb back into the playoff picture anytime soon.
What Happens Next?
Antetokounmpo is expected to undergo an MRI and could be sidelined through the All-Star break and possibly into late February or early March.
His expected absence also means he will likely miss too many games to qualify for end-of-season awards, as the NBA requires players to appear in at least 65 games.
League sources have told reporters that rival teams expect some sort of separation between Giannis and the Bucks at some point, though Milwaukee has insisted they are not taking calls about trading their star.
Whether this injury changes the team's approach remains to be seen, but the frustration is building for everyone involved in Milwaukee as they try to salvage what has been a disappointing season so far.
The Bucks will look to stay afloat without their MVP when they host the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday night.