The collective sigh of relief you may have heard came from every Bucks fan after the news that Giannis Antetokounmpo did not rupture his Achilles.
Although the two-time MVP avoided the worst after suffering a non-contact injury against the Pistons on December 3, the Bucks confirmed he sustained a right calf strain following an MRI.
Here’s everything we know so far about how long he’s expected to be out.
MORE: Five possible Giannis Antetokounmpo trade destinations
How long is Giannis Antetokounmpo out?
ESPN's Shams Charania reported on Thursday that Antetokounmpo will likely miss two to four weeks.
Though never opportune, the Bucks catch somewhat of a break in the schedule. After a back-to-back on December 5-6, they have a four-day break leading into their December 11 game against the Celtics. Following that matchup, the Bucks play just twice over the next 10 days, meaning if Antetokounmpo’s recovery is on the shorter end, he could miss as few as five games.
The timing is precarious, coming immediately on the heels of reported talks between the Bucks and Antetokounmpo regarding his future. Milwaukee has largely struggled out of the gate, despite rallying to beat the East-leading Pistons after Antetokounmpo left just minutes into the first quarter.
At the time of his injury, the Bucks are 10-13 and have lost eight of their last 10 games. Milwaukee currently sits in 10th place.
Calf strain recovery time
Calf strain recovery times vary in length depending on the severity. Though its not necessarily an apples to apples comparison, Antetokounmpo suffered a calf strain last season which sidelined him for 2.5 weeks. That injury, which occurred just before the All-Star break, resulted in six missed games.
The average calf strain recovery time in the NBA is 7-10 days for a Grade 1 and 3-6 weeks for a Grade 2. When Luka Doncic suffered a calf strain last season, injury expert Jeff Stotts reported that the average time lost for a Grade 2 strain is 15 games.
Given the connection between calf strains and more serious Achilles injuries along with the general rise in calf strains across the NBA, it would not be a surprise for the Bucks to proceed with an abundance of caution. Just last season, Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton ruptured his Achilles in the NBA Finals while playing through a calf strain.
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