The injuries keep on coming
The Milwaukee Bucks could really do with some long overdue luck on the injury front.
With Malcolm Brogdon ruled out for 6-8 weeks following a partial tear of a quadricep tendon suffered on the eve of Jabari Parker‘s return, the Bucks couldn’t really afford to take on too many more bumps and bruises.
That’s exactly what happened on Sunday morning, though, as the Bucks picked up three more potential injuries.
Stepping up into vastly extended minutes in Brogdon’s absence, Matthew Dellavedova twisted his ankle badly at the start of the fourth quarter. The Australian guard left the court in considerable pain, but according to Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, after the game Dellavedova “was able to walk out of the locker room while wearing his own shoes rather than a walking boot”.
In the midst of one of the best games of his career, John Henson also showed signs of injury as he clutched his hamstring after going up for a rebound. Henson would play on, but spent much of the game hobbling up and down the floor as he clearly wasn’t at 100 percent.
Lastly, there was the moment when the entire Bucks organization and fanbase collectively held its breath. Chasing back after Brooklyn’s DeMarre Carroll, Giannis Antetokounmpo inadvertently stepped on his opponent’s foot and twisted his ankle in the process.
The clash left Antetokounmpo writhing on the ground in apparent agony, leaving the injury to initially seem worse than it likely will turn out to be. Jabari Parker was quickly on hand to offer support in helping his teammate off the court, but Antetokounmpo limped off under his own power and spent much of the remainder of the game pacing the baseline trying to loosen up.
With the game in control, there was no need for the 23-year-old to return, but Bucks fans will be encouraged by Antetokounmpo’s post-game response to being asked if he could have come back in:
"“Oh yeah, definitely; I’ve done it in the past. I remember two years ago I twisted my ankle here but I played through it. … I knew if the game was close I would definitely be back in.”"
The hope will obviously be for all of that trio to be fully healthy and ready to go for Tuesday’s game against the Knicks, but only time will tell if any of the injuries prove to be more of a long-term concern.