Barring any unexpected changes, the Milwaukee Bucks plan to have Giannis Antetokounmpo in the mix for Monday’s action against the Boston Celtics on March 2.
Shams Charania of ESPN reports that Antetokounmpo is expected to make his return after over five weeks of watching from the sidelines due to a right calf strain.
Leading up to Monday’s game, there were plenty of questions regarding Giannis’ availability this season. With the Bucks struggling to live up to the playoff contender hype, many wondered if Antetokounmpo should’ve called it a year or not. It turns out that was not in the cards.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Will Continue His 13th NBA Season
GettyAfter spending a chunk of the season on the injury report due to a calf strain, Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to make his return to the Milwaukee Bucks’ lineup against the Boston Celtics.
This year, Antetokounmpo has appeared in 30 games. Seeing the court for 29.2 minutes per game, Giannis has made 64% of his shots from the field and knocked down 39% of his threes.
The veteran superstar was averaging 28.0 points per game before he went down. In addition to his scoring, Giannis averaged 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. For the 10th year in a row, Antetokounmpo was voted as an Eastern Conference All-Star. He didn’t get a chance to suit up due to the injury.
Since the Bucks dropped their first-round series in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the future of Antetokounmpo has come into question.
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Throughout the 2025 offseason, Antetokounmpo’s name was included in countless trade rumors. However, the former MVP shot down the notion that he wanted to part ways with the Bucks and join a different franchise.
Throughout the start of the 2025-2026 season, the Bucks looked like contenders with Antetokounmpo in the mix. He missed chunks of games in late November and mid-December. On December 27, Antetokounmpo returned from an eight-game absence. He played in 13-straight games before going down once again with his current injury.
With Giannis on the court this season, the Bucks have won 50% of their games (15-15 record). Without Giannis on the court, the Bucks are winning at a 35% rate (11-18).
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Antetokounmpo returns to a tough situation for the Bucks. They are playing one of the hottest teams in the NBA in Boston. After a win over the 76ers, the Celtics are 40-20 on the year.
GettyGiannis Antetokounmpo is on pace to make his return for the Milwaukee Bucks on Monday, March 2.
Meanwhile, Giannis’s Bucks hold a 26-33 record. Without him, they’ve struggled to remain in the playoff picture. As of Monday, the Bucks are just outside of the NBA Play-In picture. The Charlotte Hornets hold the Eastern Conference’s 10th seed, with a 3.0-game lead over the Bucks.
The return of Giannis could help give the Bucks just the boost they need to make a push for the Play-In Tournament in the spring.
The Bucks and the Celtics are tipping off at 7:30 PM ET.
Bucks Get Major Giannis Antetokounmpo News vs Celtics