MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst said that Giannis Antetokounmpo He does not need any type of procedure during the offseason on his left knee in which the two-time MVP suffered a superextension during the NBA title race.
“Okay,” Horst said Friday. “I can’t explain it, but it’s okay.”
Antetokounmpo injured his knee in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals when he fell awkwardly after attempting to block a dunk attempt by the Atlanta Hawks center, Clint Capela. Antetokounmpo later said he was worried about being out for a year.
He was out of the last two games of the Eastern Finals (the Bucks won both contests to take the series 4-2) but returned for the next series and ended up earning Most Valuable Player honors of the NBA Finals. Antetokounmpo averaged an astonishing 35.2 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.0 assists to help the Bucks beat the Phoenix Suns 4-2 and win their first championship in 50 years.
“I think when you start thinking about your knee or toe or little finger or whatever, you’re just making excuses in your mind,” Antetokounmpo said after Game 2 of the NBA Finals. “You’re out there, just play the game. Do what you can. Leave it there on the ground and no matter what the outcome is, leave it there.”
Horst did not speculate on a possible return date for the point guard. Donte DiVincenzo, who tore a ligament in his left ankle in Game 3 of a first-round playoff series against the Miami Heat and missed the remainder of the postseason.
“It’s too early to tell,” Horst said. “He’s ahead of where he should be right now and he’s doing an incredible job right now, but it’s still hard to know what the schedule will be.”
Horst spoke the day after selecting the 22-year-old forwards Sandro Mamukelashvili of Seton Hall and Georgios Kalaitzakis Greece in the second round of the draft. The Bucks traded the 31st overall pick for four second-round picks, including the 54th and 60th picks this year. Mamukelashvili came in at 54th and Kalaitzakis at 60.