Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out for Thursday’s game against the Golden State Warriors with knee soreness, the team announced.
The news comes after the Bucks star showed up to Thursday’s game wearing a Minion costume for Halloween:
Antetokounmpo, 30, battled with injuries throughout the 2024-25 season, missing 15 games, including issues with left shoulder tendinopathy and knee and calf injuries in February.
When healthy he played at an MVP-esque level, averaging 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.5 assists and 1.2 blocks per game, shooting 60.1 percent from the field but just 22.2 percent from three. In most seasons, those numbers would have secured him an MVP award, though the fantastic campaigns from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokić left Giannis as a distant third.
Nonetheless, the Greek Freak led the Bucks to a ninth straight playoff berth. The team had to be resilient, with both Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard (deep vein thrombosis in his right calf) missing significant time.
A healthy Giannis always makes the Bucks a potential threat, and any injury to him is an enormous blow for a Milwaukee team trying to maximize his title window and convince him to remain with the organization for the duration of his career.
Antetokounmpo has led the Bucks to a 3-1 record to start the 2025-26 season. He’s off to an incredibly hot start, averaging 36.3 points, 14.0 rebounds and 7.0 assists while shooting 69.5 percent from the floor and 57.1 percent from deep.
In his absence, expect players like Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince and others to take on an increased role.
