Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were said to be on minutes restrictions, but that wasn’t reflected in their performance on the court. Lillard, returning from a hamstring injury that kept him out of Milwaukee’s previous game, scored 28 points in 38 minutes. Antetokounmpo, who had missed five games before the All-Star break due to a left calf strain, contributed 23 points and 16 rebounds in 32 minutes during the Bucks’ 120-113 victory over the Miami Heat on Sunday.
Despite the restrictions, Antetokounmpo exceeded the 31-minute limit set by coach Doc Rivers. “If he trusted me, he should have played me 36 minutes,” Antetokounmpo joked. “He tried to take me out, but he couldn’t. I don’t like playing with minutes restrictions. I don’t know how long this will last, but I hope to get back to my regular minutes and rhythm soon.”
Antetokounmpo was restricted to just 19 minutes in Friday’s victory over Washington due to a combination of caution and foul trouble. Lillard mentioned feeling fatigued after the All-Star weekend and revealed he had been dealing with a hamstring issue prior to the break. He played in Thursday’s game against the Los Angeles Clippers but was held out on Friday.
Lillard explained that when dealing with fatigue and a lingering injury, it’s risky to push too hard, as something could go wrong. He chose to play in the first game because it was important, but with the back-to-back games and travel, he opted to sit out the second one. After two days of rest, his hamstring improved.
“I felt good and didn’t worry about any restrictions,” Lillard said. “I just went out and played.”
Taurean Prince, who had been sidelined for two games due to a left ankle sprain, returned on Sunday, along with Gary Trent Jr., who is managing a left knee contusion. Pat Connaughton remains out indefinitely with a left calf strain.
Before the game, Rivers discussed how calf injuries are challenging and noted that it’s a tough injury to deal with, especially considering it’s something that has been a concern throughout the player’s career. Milwaukee’s injury troubles are compounded by Bobby Portis Jr.’s 25-game suspension after testing positive for Tramadol, which is a violation of the league’s anti-drug policy.
Brook Lopez, the Bucks’ veteran player in his 17th season, has missed just one game out of 56. Rivers praised Lopez for his consistency, calling him like a clock due to his strict routine and commitment to his role. However, Rivers expressed concern about managing Lopez’s workload, particularly with Portis out until nearly the end of the regular season. He mentioned that Lopez, at 37 years old, had previously logged too many minutes when Portis was sidelined, and it showed in his performance. This time, Rivers is determined not to make the same mistake again.