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Though the Miami Heat hold a 2-1 lead over the Milwaukee Bucks in their first-round playoff-series, their road to Round 2 just got a bit tougher. According to multiple reports, Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo is set to return for Monday’s Game 4 in Miami, after missing the previous two meetings with a back injury suffered in Game 1.
The Athletic’s Shams Charania was first to break the news of the Greek Freak’s scheduled return to the floor.
“Sources: Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will return to the lineup in Game 4 vs. Heat tonight barring any setbacks,” Charania reported in a tweet. “Antetokounmpo missed Games 2 and 3 with a lower back contusion.”
ESPN’s Jamal Collier tweeted a video of Antet0kounmpo at Milwaukee’s morning shootaround, prepping for Game 4.
The re-addition of Antetokounmpo into the Bucks’ lineup will certainly make things more difficult for the Heat. The 28-year-old put together another MVP-caliber season for Milwaukee this year, averaging 31-.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, while shooting an efficient 55.3% from the field.
Antetokounmpo’s reliable production was a key reason for his squad’s successful season and their place as the NBA’s best team.
Heat’s Victor Oladipo to Miss Remainder of Playoffs After Injury
Speaking of injuries, the Heat were dealt a substantial blow after Saturday’s Game 3 win. Tests revealed that veteran guard Victor Oladipo had torn the patellar tendon in his left knee late in the fourth quarter.
The team announced on Sunday that Oladipo would be sidelined for the remainder of Miami’s postseason run, after an MRI revealed the tear.
“The Miami HEAT announced today that an MRI has revealed that Victor Oladipo suffered a torn patellar tendon in his left knee,” The Heat said in a statement via WPLG’s Will Manso. “The injury occurred during Miami’s Game 3 victory against the Milwaukee Bucks on April 22. He will miss the remainder of the postseason.”
Oladipo had been battling injuries all season. He appeared in just 42 regular-season games for the Heat, averaging 10.7 points, 3.5 assists, and 3.0 rebounds each time, while knocking down 39.7% of his attempts from the field and 33.0% from beyond the arc.
His scoring numbers remained consistent in the playoffs at about 11.5 points per game. However, Oladipo scored at a much more efficient clip. He buried 52.6% of his attempts from the floor and 40.0% from deep.
Heat’s Erik Spoelstra Crushed By Victor Oladipo Injury
It was a very somber scene as Oladipo writhed on the floor in pain Saturday. He had to be helped off the floor, after suffering the injury on a drive to the basket. Miami’s head coach, Erik Spoelstra, got a bit emotional discussing the sequence with the media after the game.
“I don’t know what it is, so I don’t want to jump the gun on anything. It’s definitely not a good feeling to see Vic on the floor like that,” Spoelstra said via the NBA Interviews YouTube channel. “I feel probably like how everybody feels. It’s a great win. But when you see a player go down like that, especially a player like Vic, who’s gone through so much in the last three years … I want to stay positive on this, and see what happens after we scan him.”
