Giannis leaves early due to injury but Bucks are overwhelmed

MILWAUKEE (AP) — The early departure of Giannis Antetokounmpo in Friday’s game barely affected the Bucks, who were crushing.

Now they are waiting to find out if they will have to continue playing without their star.

Antetokounmpo left late in the first quarter with a right knee injury, but Milwaukee still managed to rout the Miami Heat 128-99 on Friday.

Antetokounmpo’s illness hampered his speedy recovery from a wrist sprain suffered just before the All-Star break. Even so, Milwaukee earned its 13th straight victory.

“I haven’t received the full report, but I’m pretty sure in a wash or screen or something his knee collided with someone else, I was able to come back “Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said.

Antetokounmpo was in the lineup just four days after traveling to New York for a right wrist scan. The Greek star, a two-time NBA MVP, was on the court at the end of the first quarter when he passed the ball.

He walked over to the bench and gestured. The Bucks immediately called a time out to allow him to go to the locker room.

Antetokounmpo added four points and the same number of rebounds and assists, in just six minutes.

“Sometimes you have to protect him from himself, ask him to calm down and not play maybe a few games, knowing that we are second (in the East) and everything is fine,” Jrue Holiday said. . “I know he doesn’t like it. He tries to play every game, something I fully understand. I feel like I’m the same.”

Despite their fleeting appearance, the Bucks had no trouble extending the longest winning streak ever in the NBA this season. They took the lead after four minutes, winning by their biggest margin of the campaign.

Holiday scored 24 points and received perhaps his biggest ovation of the night when the video screen caught him singing with the crowd “I Want It That Way” by the Backstreet Boys during a break in end of game.