If you didn't know any better, you'd think that the Milwaukee Bucks kept a healthy Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined for no reason the last five games, especially after the NBPA's statement. As Doc Rivers said on Wednesday, though, the superstar isn't healthy.
The first sentence from the player association's statement reads as if Antetokounmpo is being held on the bench against his will.
"The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court."
Well, here's the thing. Giannis isn't "healthy and ready to play," so that's why, aside from the pregame workouts he's gone through, he hasn't been on the court.
As Eric Nehm reported last week, Milwaukee approached Antetokounmpo about not playing (subscription required) for the rest of the season, but he wasn't for that. Rivers said that Giannis is "progressing," but that he's not there yet.
Will he be in time for Saturday's game against San Antonio? We'll know more about that tomorrow when the Bucks release their injury report.
Doc Rivers says Giannis hasn't been healthy
Antetokounmpo hurt his knee after taking a hard fall after a dunk in the third quarter of Milwaukee's win over Indiana on March 15. He said after the game that it wasn't bothering him. However, two days later, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Giannis had been diagnosed with a hyperextended left knee and bone bruise and that he would be re-evaluated in a week.
Jamal Collier of ESPN reported at the time that Antetokounmpo didn't "view this setback as season-ending and intends to play again this season." That's just who Giannis is, so it's not surprising that, although the Bucks sit 9.5 games out of play-in range with 10 games left in the season, he wants to get back out there if he's able.
We're not there yet, though. The Bucks haven't ruled Antetokounmpo out for the rest of the season, and given how determined he is, he probably will be back on the floor once he's cleared to return.
Perhaps the NBPA released its statement to ensure that'd be the case, but it's still interesting that given the rampant tanking we've seen this season (that hasn't occurred in Milwaukee), it directed its attention to the Bucks.
If Giannis does play again, enjoy it, because it could be the last you'll see of him with Milwaukee.