Milwaukee Bucks All-Star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo was ruled out for a second consecutive game against the Miami Heat on Saturday due to a lower-back bruise.
“He’s just not ready to go,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “We’re going to continue to monitor him.”
Antetokounmpo initially suffered the injury in the first half of the Heat’s Game 1 victory in the best-of-seven opening-round Eastern Conference playoff series last Sunday at Fiserv Forum, missing the balance of that game.
He then sat out Wednesday night’s Game 2 home victory over the Heat that tied the series at 1-1.
“He’s not in a place where he can go,” Budenholzer said. “We’ll continue to monitor him and hope for the best.”
Antetokounmpo had been listed as questionable for Saturday night’s Game 3 at Kaseya Center on the Bucks’ initial injury report on Friday, listed with that designation for most of Saturday, as well.
Game 4 is Monday at 7:30 p.m. at Kaseya Center, before returning to Fiserv Forum for a 9:30 p.m. game on Wednesday night.
“There’s a point where together we communicate, we work together and decisions are made,” Budenholzer said.
Remaining out for the Bucks on Saturday was guard Wesley Matthews, due to the strained right calf that also had him out of Game 2, after playing in Game 1.
The Heat remain with guard Tyler Herro, who broke his right hand in Game 1, and rookie big man Nikola Jovic, who has been out for months due to back spasms.
()
