Giannis Antetokounmpo points to chemistry problems with Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo points to chemistry problems with Milwaukee Bucks
Jan 22, 2026
Nicolas Flamecourt
Giannis Antetokounmpo: No Return Date After Calf Injury
The Milwaukee Bucks are navigating uncertainty regarding their superstar's return, after suffering a new right calf strain during Friday's loss to Denver.
Photo Credit : © Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
The immediate future of Giannis Antetokounmpo remains unclear after his right calf setback during the Milwaukee Bucks‘ 102-100 loss to the Denver Nuggets on Friday. The 31-year-old two-time MVP had initially estimated such an injury could sideline him for 4 to 6 weeks, but coach Doc Rivers refuses to commit to a specific timeline.
« There really is no timeline, » Rivers said Monday, confirming the right calf strain diagnosis revealed by MRI. This new injury comes at an already difficult time for the Bucks, who hold a disappointing 18-26 record and sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference.
A Refusal to Give Up Despite the Pain
Antetokounmpo tried to keep fighting Friday night despite having his calf taped in the first half. The Greek star played 32 minutes and posted 22 points, 13 rebounds and 7 assists, even helping his team rally from a 23-point deficit early in the fourth quarter with 14 points in the final period.
« I felt like I couldn’t explode, » Antetokounmpo explained after the game. « I could jog. I couldn’t get up on my toes, so I was jogging on my heel most of the time. I didn’t have the same explosiveness, but I still felt like I could help. But at the end, when it popped, I had to come out. I couldn’t walk anymore. »
Stats 2025-2026 / NBA
PTS
28
#9
REB
10
#15
AST
5.6
#34
Rivers had tried multiple times to remove his star from the game, noticing he was favoring his injured leg, but Antetokounmpo remained defiant and insisted on staying in. « It wasn’t for my teammates, it was for myself, » the player confided. « I just don’t like giving up. »
This new injury echoes Antetokounmpo’s recurring calf problems. He had already missed eight games from December 5-26 with a right calf strain, and similar left calf injuries kept him out of the 2024 playoffs and the 2025 All-Star Game. Despite this concerning history, Rivers insists there is « no consideration » of shutting down the player for the season.
« I think he has played his last game in a Milwaukee Bucks uniform. »
– @MarcJSpears on Giannis Antetokounmpo
(h/t @Fullcourtpass) pic.twitter.com/d8CwOCbY1Y
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) January 26, 2026
Antetokounmpo’s absence weighs heavily on Milwaukee‘s results, which show a 15-15 record with him and only 3-11 without him this season. With the trade deadline set for February 5 and a streak of nine consecutive playoff appearances in jeopardy, the Bucks are going through a critical period. The situation is further complicated by Kevin Porter Jr., their second-leading scorer, also being out with an oblique injury.
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