Giannis Antetokounmpo wasn’t close to returning

Giannis Antetokounmpo was sidelined for the entirety of the first-round series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Indiana Pacers due to a calf injury. While there was some hope for his return heading into Game 6, he ultimately remained ruled out.

“I tried my best to come back to help my teammates,” Antetokounmpo said Friday. “It’s kind of hard to see them being out there and not being able to help them, but I just couldn’t.

“I did all the tests I had to do, these like protocols you have to follow and have to check the boxes. I wasn’t even close at checking the boxes.”

Antetokounmpo injured his calf near the regular season’s end, sidelining him since April 9th. He also missed playoff games last season due to a back injury. When asked, he considered adjusting his approach for next season.

“I don’t know. Maybe I do follow a different pattern,” Antetokounmpo said. “Maybe try different things. I don’t like the word ‘rest.’ Like, if I can play, I will play. If I cannot play, I can’t play.

“I’m for sure going to sit down and think about it, of how my summer is going to look like and how next year is going to look like.”