Report: Bucks optimistic Giannis Antetokounmpo will be able to play in Game 2 vs. Heat

Update: There’s optimism around Antetokounmpo’s availability for Game 2 vs. the Heat, per Shams Charania. Giannis was forced to leave Game 1 due to a back injury and did not return. The Bucks would go on to lose Game 1 130-117 to Miami, which had to fight in the play-in tournament to get into the first round as the 8-seed. If Giannis can return and be 100% for Game 2, the Bucks should still be OK. Milwaukee wasn’t playing well early on in Game 1 before Antetokounmpo went down.

Update: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury has been officially designated as a lower back contusion and he will miss the rest of Game 1 against Miami. His status will be something to monitor ahead of Game 2 on Wednesday.

Update: Giannis Antetokounmpo was back out on the floor for only one minute before exiting the contest once again. He went right back to the locker room and it appears unlikely that he’ll return before the end of the first half.

Update: Giannis Antetokounmpo has checked back into the matchup early in the second quarter. He’ll try to help the Bucks cut into Miami’s lead before the half.

Milwaukee Bucks center Giannis Antetokounmpo took a hard fall and sustained an apparent back/tailbone injury during the first quarter of Sunday’s postseason matchup against the Miami Heat. He went to the locker room prior to the end of the quarter and his status for the rest of Game 1 is unknown at the time.

Antetokounmpo went for a layup and landed awkwardly when bumping into Heat forward Kevin Love. He’d end up missing the rest of the quarter.