Milwaukee Bucks

With the NBA season suspended because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic and questions about how staff members and workers who largely depend on games for income will get paid, Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo is doing what he can to help.

The MVP candidate announced he and his family will donate $100,000 to Fiserv Forum workers, saying, "I want to help the people that make my life, my family's lives and my teammates' lives easier."

After Giannis' announcement, the Bucks revealed they will match all player donations:

Antetokounmpo's gesture follows a similar one from Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love.

Love announced he would also donate $100,000 to staff who work the Cavaliers' games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with the following message on his Instagram page:

"I'm concerned about the level of anxiety that everyone is feeling and that is why I'm committing $100,000 through the @KevinLoveFund in support of the @Cavs arena and support staff that had a sudden life shift due to the suspension of the NBA season. I hope that during this time of crisis, others will join me in supporting our communities."

What's more, Dallas Mavericks governor Mark Cuban appeared on ESPN's Get Up and said, "We have a program where the next four would-have-been Mavs games, we'll pay our hourly employees as if they worked."

Sarah K. Spencer of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Atlanta Hawks owner Tony Ressler will pay the team's part- and full-time employees during the NBA's suspension, while Mark Segraves of NBC 4 Washington reported Washington Wizards governor Ted Leonsis will do the same for his team's employees.

As far as a timetable, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver appeared on TNT's Inside the NBA and said the hiatus will last "at least 30 days," with decisions about whether the season will continue to be addressed in the future.

As of Friday, CNN noted there have been more than 125,000 cases of the coronavirus across the globe.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was apparently extremely nervous heading into his recent MRI.

"I s--t my pants," the reigning MVP joked about his test, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. 

Giannis picked up the injury last Friday when he landed awkwardly in the loss to the Los Angeles Lakers. He underwent an MRI Sunday, which showed a minor joint capsule sprain in his left knee, per Malika Andrews of ESPN.

Though he was ruled out of his team's next two games—both losses—he has a chance to return Thursday against the Boston Celtics if he feels good, per Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe.

It's understandable why Antetokounmpo was nervous about his test results considering how dangerous knee injuries can be, although it's safe to assume he didn't actually let the nerves get to him.

Milwaukee Bucks point guard Eric Bledsoe will not play Monday's game against the Denver Nuggets.

Matt Velazquez of the Journal Sentinel reported the news, noting Bledsoe is out with "right knee; effusion."

Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said, "I don't know what it is except for it's what Bled has. I'm a little embarrassed to say I mean that. ... He's had a little bit of this just, really, probably the year and a half I've been here."

Bledsoe, 30, is averaging 15.4 points and 5.4 assists for the 53-11 Bucks, who own the NBA's best record for the second straight year.

He's played a crucial part in the Bucks becoming a league powerhouse over the past few years. NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo deserves the most credit, but Bledsoe, Khris Middleton and a deep and talented supporting cast have all excelled.

Of note, Bledsoe plays hard on both ends, notably landing on the All-Defensive team in 2018-19.

The point guard hasn't missed much time in recent years because of injury.

He suffered a right fibula avulsion fracture on Dec. 13 in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies and missed eight contests but has been largely healthy otherwise.

Bledsoe missed four games in 2018-19, but two were for rest. The others were due to Achilles soreness and a sore back.

The Bucks are particularly limited Monday, as Antetokounmpo is sidelined with a knee injury and George Hill is dealing with a leg injury.

Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the domino that drives much of the upcoming NBA offseason, and the Milwaukee Bucks reportedly believe there is a "great chance" he stays with the only team he has ever known in the Association.

ESPN's Brian Windhorst said as much on The Hoop Collective podcast (h/t RealGM), suggesting that a number of teams could look to make subsequent moves should Antetokounmpo sign a supermax contract extension because they no longer have to save up for a run at him in 2021 free agency:

"One of the things when I talk to executives out there that they say is if Giannis extends with the Bucks this summer, which depending on who you talk to is either a slam dunk or a real question, the Bucks certainly feel like they have a great chance to extend him this summer. If he signs that supermax extension this summer and all of the teams that are sort of saving, you know, keeping their ammo dry for 2021 may begin to make action. They tell me this summer's star movement may be hinged on whether or not Giannis extends or not. If he extends, you'll all of a sudden see more action."

Antetokounmpo has already shattered even the most optimistic expectations surrounding him when the Bucks selected him with the No. 15 overall pick of the 2013 NBA draft.

He is the reigning MVP and well positioned to win the league's top individual award for a second straight season. He is also a four-time All-Star, three-time All-NBA selection and two-time All-Defensive selection who is on the short list of players who can take over any game at a moment's notice on both sides of the floor.

Giannis is averaging 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.0 block and 1.0 steal per game this season and is just 25 years old.

He could single-handedly alter the fortunes of a number of franchises for years to come, so it is no surprise there will be teams waiting to see what he will do before they make any significant moves this coming offseason.

Winning is not a problem for Antetokounmpo right now in Milwaukee, as the team has the league's best record at 53-11. However, it also lost to the Toronto Raptors in last season's Eastern Conference Finals and will surely be under the spotlight should it fall short of the NBA Finals again from a No. 1 seed in 2020.

If that happens and Antetokounmpo begins to think about his future with the Bucks, there will be no shortage of teams lining up eager to give him a chance to win a title elsewhere.

The Milwaukee Bucks are going to be without star Giannis Antetokounmpo for at least a few games. 

According to the team, Antetokounmpo will miss the final two games of the team's road trip with a minor joint capsule sprain in his left knee. He'll be reevaluated ahead of the team's March 12 game against the Boston Celtics.

Antetokounmpo is likely on his way to a second straight MVP in 2020. He's averaging 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists through 57 games, helping the Bucks open a wide gulf between themselves and the rest of the Eastern Conference.

Milwaukee received a scare in a 113-103 loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported Antetokounmpo, who landed awkwardly on his left leg in the fourth quarter, received a precautionary MRI after the game, though it appears the prognosis is far from the worst-case scenario.

With regard to the health of the 25-year-old, the Bucks' primary concern is ensuring he's ready for the postseason. Even without Antetokounmpo in the lineup, they have enough firepower to remain in first place in the East.

Milwaukee's hopes of an NBA Finals run hinge on the Greek Freak's performance, though. The Toronto Raptors successfully bottled him up in last year's postseason, which resulted in the Bucks' conference finals exit.

As long as Antetokounmpo's injury is as short-lived as expected, the team should be fine.

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will reportedly undergo a precautionary MRI on his left knee, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski on Saturday.

Giannis suffered the injury when he landed awkwardly during Milwaukee's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night, but he remained in the game.

Per ESPN's Baxter Holmes and Malika Andrews, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer suggested after the game that he felt Antetokounmpo was fine despite the scare: "We had a timeout and talked to him and talked to the medical [staff] and again, you have been around him. You do have to protect him from himself. I'm pretty confident he was OK to keep going."

Antetokounmpo is on track to challenge for his second straight Most Valuable Player award. He's averaging 29.6 points, 13.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists through 57 games. He's also hitting 30.6 percent of his three-pointers, a healthy improvement from his 25.6 percent clip from beyond the arc in 2018-19.

Milwaukee won 60 games last year to claim the Eastern Conference's top seed, and the team is on track to be No. 1 again. The Bucks are 53-10, 8.5 games up on the Toronto Raptors.

Milwaukee is good enough to withstand Antetokounmpo potentially missing some time as long as he makes a quick return to the court. Khris Middleton can handle duties as the primary scorer, with Brook Lopez and Eric Bledsoe shouldering a larger load as well.

Ensuring Giannis is healthy and ready for the playoffs is the Bucks' overriding priority as they attempt to improve upon last season's run to the conference finals.

Milwaukee is already assured of a playoff spot, and barring a massive collapse down the stretch, it will almost certainly secure the No. 1 seed in the East as well.

Even if Giannis' MRI comes back clean, allowing him to rest on occasion for the remainder of the regular season could help the Bucks get him to full health for the postseason.

Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo said he emerged from Friday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers without any serious injuries despite an awkward landing on his left knee and a cut lip that required three stitches.

Antetokounmpo, who scored a team-high 32 points in the 113-103 road defeat, was more concerned afterward about the team's overall performance.

"We definitely did not play smart," he told reporters. "I think obviously we tried our best. We fight every game, we try to stay in every game we ever play, but we gave 31 free throws. We put them in the line so easily."

Antetokounmpo chipped in 11 rebounds, six assists and a steal, but he made just 10 of his 21 shots from the field, recorded five fouls and finished the game as a minus-11.

The reigning MVP credited the Lakers' LeBron James, his main competition for this year's MVP Award, for a terrific 37-point outing to pace L.A.

"I think it's always good playing against one of the best players in the league," he said. "Like ... you can feel greatness. All of this I've said in the past: that's what I wanna be. Obviously, he's one of the best players in the game. Really smart; you cannot be BSing against him. He's gonna come at you. You gotta be ready to go. You gotta be ready to fight against him."

The Bucks (53-10) still own a four-game advantage over the Lakers (48-13) in the race for the NBA's best record and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Antetokounmpo also continues to hold a substantial edge over James in the MVP race (-2,000 to +700, per Caesars Palace).

Milwaukee scored a 111-104 win in the first meeting between the teams in December.

Although the sides' regular-season matchups are complete, it wouldn't be a surprise if they face off again in June with the NBA title on the line. The physical, old-school style of basketball on display Friday night would be terrific theater for the Finals.

Another marquee battle is on tap for Sunday when the Lakers face off with the rival Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center.

Meanwhile, the Bucks will take on the Phoenix Suns on Sunday before finishing their three-game road trip Monday night against the Denver Nuggets.

ESPN's Stephen A. Smith said Friday at the 2020 MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference he's heard reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo will leave the Milwaukee Bucks if they don't reach the Finals.

"I'm told if he doesn't get to the Finals, he's leaving. I don't know if that's true or not," Smith said, per Bleacher Report's Howard Beck.

Antetokounmpo is in the third season of a four-year, $100 million contract with the Bucks.

Smith's comments are in line with a May 2019 report from ESPN colleague Malika Andrews.

"In more concrete terms, a source close to Antetokounmpo said that getting to the NBA Finals is not just an ambition, it could tip the scales as he weighs his contractual future," Andrews wrote. "And if they can reach the NBA Finals next season, the Bucks can improve their chances of signing Antetokounmpo to the supermax in the summer of 2020."

In September, the Bucks were fined $50,000 by the NBA after general manager Jon Horst said publicly the team was "of course" planning to offer the four-time All-Star a supermax extension once eligible.

Antetokounmpo has shied away from discussing his contract situation, stating before the start of the 2019-20 season it wouldn't be fair to his Milwaukee teammates.

"I feel like if you have a great team, and our goal is to win a championship and be the last team standing and get better each day, I think it's disrespectful towards my teammates talking about my free agency and what I'm going through," he told reporters. "So when the time is right, we're all gonna talk about it. I don't think the time is right."

Meanwhile, the Greek Freak has continued to dominate by averaging 29.6 points, 13.8 rebounds and 5.8 assists to move himself to the forefront of the MVP race once again.

The Bucks own the NBA's best record at 53-9, six wins ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers, and lead the shortlist of legitimate championship contenders heading into the regular season's final quarter.

Antetokounmpo becomes eligible for the five-year supermax extension July 1.

Consider the reigning MVP among those in awe of LeBron James' mind-blowing 2019-20 season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo took some time after Wednesday's victory over the Indiana Pacers to express his disbelief in what his fellow MVP-candidate is managing to accomplish.

"It's amazing," Giannis told reporters. "... Thirty-five and playing at a high level. ... He just leads the path for us. A lot of times we think that 'Ok, we're going to retire at 35,' but seeing a guy at 35, being still top-three best player in the world, that makes us want to be there."

In his 17th year in the NBA, James is averaging 25.4 points, 10.7 assists and 7.8 rebounds while leading the Los Angeles Lakers to the top of the Western Conference. And James shows no signs of slowing down.

It certainly helps that James gets to play with the likes of Anthony Davis, but it's not like The King's value has ever been unstated.

Cleveland tanked after he left the Cavaliers—both times—so did the Miami Heat. Even when the Lakers were mediocre at best last season, James still averaged 27.4 points, 8.3 assists and 8.5 rebounds per game. In fact, LeBron hasn't averaged fewer than 25 points per game since his rookie season in 2003-04.

Considering how much the style of play has evolved over the last two decades, it's a testament to James' versatility that he's not only been able to adapt but also excelled. It doesn't matter if he's playing with his back to the basket alongside Shaquille O'Neal, launching three-pointers with Ray Allen or running the point with Kyrie Irving.

There is no escaping James' greatness. Not at any age.

Which is why it makes sense that Giannis, still just 25 years old, would have thought by age 35 he'd be winding down his career. Instead, LeBron is back to doing what he does best with his performance on the court: inspiring the next generation.

"It makes me want to be there one day," Giannis said. "I keep taking care of my body, eating the right way, being healthy. He paved the way. Hopefully we can follow."

Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo said he's not a natural recruiter but he understood the importance of stepping up to help the team after Malcolm Brogdon left to join the Indiana Pacers as part of a sign-and-trade deal last July. 

In an interview released Wednesday, Antetokounmpo told Eric Nehm of The Athletic he reached out to Wesley Matthews and Kyle Korver during free agency last summer, and both opted to sign with the Bucks.

"[Matthews] was working out ... and called me right back," Giannis said. "I told him, 'Look. You can defend. You can knock down shots. You're a great person. You're a great human being first of all. You can help this team be better. At the end of the day, you haven't won a championship, right? I haven't won a championship either. We have to bring a group together that wants that and wants that bad.'"

On the topic of Korver, he added: "I called him and we talked. And I'm not going to say he's weird, but he's more reserved to himself. So, the first time I called him I was like, 'Did I f--k this one up?'"

Matthews confirmed getting a call from the NBA's reigning MVP was important in his decision-making process.

"It meant a lot," he told Nehm. "Not even just as an athlete, but just as anyone who is working, the admiration of your peers is what holds the most weight. Not writers, not blogs, not media and all that kind of stuff. It's the guys you're going to compete with and against to have the respect for you that means the world."

The signings of Matthews and Korver helped fill the void left by Brogdon and gave Milwaukee one of the league's deepest rosters to provide support for Antetokounmpo, who's put himself in position to win a second straight MVP Award.

He's more concerned about team success than individual accolades, though. The Bucks own the NBA's best record at 52-9 and are in position to seriously contend for the franchise's first title since 1971.

"I can't imagine the feeling that we'll have if we win a championship together," Antetokounmpo told Nehm. "This team is special. The atmosphere is amazing. If we win a championship, it is going to be amazing. It's going to be a bond that is for life and that's what I'm looking for."

Regardless of this season's outcome, Giannis the recruiter may be called back into action this summer.

The Bucks have five potential unrestricted free agents in Matthews, Korver, Robin Lopez, Pat Connaughton and Marvin Williams. While none of them are among the team's most crucial contributors, they help provide the depth that's made the team so successful during the regular season.

A championship-level team helps in the recruiting process, especially when it comes to attracting veterans who are seeking a ring, but getting to play alongside Antetokounmpo is also massive draw.