Is Giannis Antetokounmpo Playing Tonight? (Injury Update, Betting Impact for Celtics vs. Bucks)

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has not played since Jan. 23 due to a calf strain, but it appears he's nearing a return to the court.

Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said that Antetokounmpo is "close" to a return before the team's loss to the Chicago Bulls on Sunday. However, he did not give an exact timeline for the two-time MVP to be back in the lineup, putting his status in question for Monday's game against the Boston Celtics.

Doc Rivers told reporters that Giannis Antetokounmpo got a good workout in yesterday and then regarding a return, Rivers added, "I keep saying it's close. I just don't know how soon." https://t.co/i9KUSV4RjS
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) March 1, 2026

Antetokounpo was ruled out for Sunday's game against the Bulls and was not listed as questionable or doubtful, which could be a sign that he's still a few days away from a return. Milwaukee has yet to release an injury report for Monday's game since it's the second night of a back-to-back, but the betting odds seem to indicate that the Greek Freak will sit out once again.

DraftKings Sportsbook has the Bucks as 7.5-point home underdogs against Boston, which is also playing the second night of a back-to-back after beating the Philadelphia 76ers on Sunday. The Bucks, who are three games out of the No. 10 seed in the East, have struggled at times with Giannis on the bench.

Antetokounmpo has missed 29 games in the 2025-26 season, and Milwaukee is just 11-18 in those matchups. When the former league MVP is on the court, the Bucks are a .500 team, going 15-15 this season.

After Monday's game against Boston, the Bucks play a crucial game for their play-in tournament hopes on Wednesday against the Atlanta Hawks (the No. 9 seed in the East). If Antetokounmpo is nearing a return, it's possible that his status is upgraded for that game.

This story will be updated once the Bucks release Giannis' official status for Monday night's game against Boston.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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