EmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsMILWAUKEE -- Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo acknowledged that he felt rusty during Monday night's 108-81 loss to the Boston Celtics, his first game in more than five weeks after straining his right calf, but following the longest injury-related absence of his career, Antetokounmpo said he didn't take being back on the court for granted.Antetokounmpo racked up 19 points, 11 rebounds and 2 assists in the defeat."I'm just happy that I'm on the court," he said after Monday's game. "It doesn't matter if I play 18 minutes, 20 minutes, 22, whatever, I'm just happy that I'm out there. Obviously did not play well tonight, but at the end of the day, I'm just happy that I'm out there being able to help my teammates in any way that I can and just do what I love, which is play basketball."Antetokounmpo said he had grown accustomed to returning early from injuries, beating even the most optimistic timelines. His most famous instance came during the 2021 playoffs, when he hyperextended his right knee during the Eastern Conference finals before playing in the NBA Finals.He thought he would be able to do the same for this recurring calf injury, which also cost him three weeks in December, but he wound up missing 15 games after injuring the calf against the Denver Nuggets on Jan. 23."I'm 31 years old," Antetokounmpo said. "Just got to be smarter moving forward because things that I was able to do in the past, maybe I'm not able to do now."Bucks coach Doc Rivers said pregame that Antetokounmpo would return with a minutes restriction; he played 25 minutes Monday."I'm not going to overdo it," Rivers said before the game. "He hadn't played in a while, so just getting him back in and playing. It's not like we had a big practice or a shootaround this morning, so it's not the ideal way of bringing him back."But the fact that he's available, you put him in and you figure it out."This was Antetokounmpo's first game since last month's NBA trade deadline, when both he and the Bucks explored their options for the future. The Bucks still want to prove to their superstar that his best chance to win another championship is in Milwaukee.Rather than chase improved lottery odds, the Bucks remain committed to chasing a playoff spot. Milwaukee is 26-34, in the No.11 spot in the Eastern Conference, 3 1/2 games behind the Charlotte Hornets for the conference's final play-in spot.Antetokounmpo did not want to discuss the Bucks' playoff chances Monday, reiterating that he was just happy to be back on the court and focused on finding his rhythm. He has missed 29 games this season because of calf and groin injuries, but he still entered Monday averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists in the 30 games he had played.Antetokounmpo made it clear that he wanted to return this season and reiterated after the game that he never had a conversation about shutting down for the rest of it."Right now, to be honest with you, I'm just happy that I'm out there," he said. "I've dealt with three injuries this year, and I'm just happy that I'm doing what I love. We got 24 games left. It's 24 fights."Rivers said Monday that the Bucks kept Antetokounmpo sidelined longer as a precaution to help him recover from the injury after yet another extended absence."We did that the first time; that didn't work out," Rivers said. "But listen, this is basketball. You can go out and play and then you just got to hope he stays healthy."Despite such a lengthy absence, the Bucks found a way to sustain themselves, going 8-7 without Antetokounmpo, much improved from their dismal record (3-11) when he was previously sidelined. But following one of their best stretches of the season, winning eight of 11 games in February, they have dropped three in a row, all by at least 20 points."Just playing better teams," Bucks forward Bobby Portis said. "Kind of fool's gold, for real. Rolling eight out of 10, playing against bottom teams, teams that are trying to lose."Our goal has always been to win championships and get to the Eastern Conference finals and go deep, make deep runs. So it feels kind of off just wanting to make the playoffs."
