Giannis Antetokounmpo had 31 points and 14 rebounds before leaving with an apparent knee injury, and the Milwaukee Bucks pulled away late to defeat the Indiana Pacers 134–123 on Sunday.
Antetokounmpo also added eight assists before exiting late in the third quarter. The two-time MVP landed awkwardly while completing a dunk but initially stayed in the game, throwing down another dunk on Milwaukee’s next possession. After drawing a foul and attempting two free throws on the following trip, he headed to the locker room.
Bucks coach Doc Rivers said he believed Antetokounmpo may have hyperextended his knee, though the team had not confirmed the diagnosis.
Bobby Portis stepped up with 29 points and 10 rebounds, while Ryan Rollins finished with 20 points, seven assists and three steals on 8-of-12 shooting, including 3 of 5 from 3-point range.
Indiana was led by Aaron Nesmith, who scored 32 points. Jay Huff added 16 points and two blocks for the Pacers.
Milwaukee trailed 65–62 at halftime but seized control in the fourth quarter. Leading by six, the Bucks used a 15–3 run to stretch the advantage to 119–101 with 8:45 remaining.
Turnovers also proved costly for Indiana, which committed 18 compared with nine by Milwaukee.
Antetokounmpo said after the game he wasn’t planning to undergo imaging and believed he could have finished the contest but followed the advice of the Bucks’ training staff.
The 31-year-old has missed a career-high 31 games this season, including extended stretches because of strains in his right calf. He also sat out Milwaukee’s loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Saturday with a sprained left ankle.
Up next: The Milwaukee Bucks host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Tuesday, while the Indiana Pacers visit the New York Knicks on Tuesday.
