The Milwaukee Bucks will play their first NBA Finals game in nearly half a century on Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns, and they will do so with the superstar. Giannis Antetokounmpo in the lineup.
Antetokounmpo, who suffered a left knee hyperextension in an awkward and ugly fall in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals a week ago against the Hawks in Atlanta, will play in Game 1 of the NBA Finals in Phoenix, sources told ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
Antetokounmpo missed the Bucks’ final two games due to a hyperextended left knee suffered in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals against the Atlanta Hawks.
The Bucks coach, Mike budenholzer, said Monday that Antetokounmpo was able to do some on-court work separately from team practice, but was listed as in doubt for the opening game of the NBA Finals later that night.
When asked what specific exercises and movements Antetokounmpo could do without pain, Budenholzer declined to answer.
Without their two-time MVP in the last two games of the Eastern finals, the Bucks prevailed behind the dominant game of Khris middleton, Jrue Holiday Y Brook lopez.
Bobby portis He started the two games Antetokounmpo missed, while Middleton scored a combined 64 points and Holiday added 60.
ESPN’s Malika Andrews contributed to this report.