MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� Giannis Antetokounmpo will miss a third straight game due to left knee soreness when the Milwaukee Bucks host the Indiana Pacers on Monday afternoon.
Antetokounmpo was listed as probable on the Bucks鈥� injury report and participated in pregame warmups, but coach Mike Budenholzer said Monday the two-time MVP won鈥檛 be playing. Antetokounmpo also didn鈥檛 play in either of the Bucks鈥� two losses at Miami on Thursday and Saturday.
鈥淲e continue to think it鈥檚 kind of the stuff that he and us have dealt with, for me it鈥檚 each year that I鈥檝e been here,鈥� Budenholzer said. 鈥淲e don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 anything more than that. Him being healthy, taking care of him is always our priority. We鈥檙e probably always going to err on the side of caution. We know how important he is to us.鈥�
Budenholzer said a decision hasn鈥檛 been reached on whether Antetokounmpo will play Tuesday against the Toronto Raptors.
鈥淲e鈥檒l see how he responds, see how he鈥檚 feeling tomorrow,鈥� Budenholzer said.
Bucks guard Jrue Holiday (right ankle sprain) and forward Bobby Portis (right quad bruise) are expected to play Monday after being listed as probable. Bucks forward Khris Middleton (right knee soreness) will miss a 16th straight game and forward Joe Ingles (left knee injury management) also is out.
The Pacers will be missing top scorer and NBA assists leader Tyrese Haliburton for a third straight game due to a left elbow sprain and a mild left knee bone bruise. The Pacers had said Thursday that Haliburton would probably be out about two weeks.
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Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
