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EspañolAfter missing 15 games with a strained calf, Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return to the Milwaukee Bucks lineup Monday against Boston, reports Shams Charania of ESPN.
Officially, Antetokounmpo is questionable with a right calf strain.
The Bucks went a respectable 8-7 in this stretch without Antetokounmpo, including an 8-2 run in which they had the league's third-best offense behind Ryan Rollins. That kept them in the mix for the postseason, and Antetokounmpo's return would be a huge boost toward the Bucks' drive to make the play-in in the East. Milwaukee, 26-33, currently sits as the No. 11 seed, three games back of a hot Charlotte team at No. 10 (Atlanta is No. 9, 3.5 games up on Milwaukee).
When he has been on the court this season, Antetokounmpo has played at an MVP level, averaging 28 points, 10 rebounds, and 5.6 assists a game while shooting 64.5% (and if you leave him open, he is shooting 39.5% from beyond the arc this season, although on 1.3 attempts a game).
The issue is that Antetokounmpo has played in just 30 games (missing time for a few injuries). When he is on the court this season, the Bucks have a +6 net rating, but when he is off, that is -8.5. That said, the Bucks are still just 15-15 in games Antetokounmpo has played.
Boston, with its pressure defense, is a tough team to return against, but the Bucks have key games this week against Atlanta and Orlando, ones they need to win if they are going to make up enough ground to make the postseason.