Sixers Rival’s Injury Scare Takes Positive Turn Before Playoffs

The Philadelphia 76ers could potentially face Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks in the NBA Playoffs.

Apr 9, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) grabs his | Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

As the Philadelphia 76ers laid a beatdown on the Detroit Pistons Tuesday night, a potential playoff opponent for the Sixers dealt with an injury scare.

In the matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics, NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with a non-contact injury as he trotted up the court.

Being that non-contact injuries typically come with season-ending results, the Bucks had all eyes on them Tuesday night as the league was curious to see what happens next for the former MVP.

Milwaukee received positive news initially. Before undergoing an MRI, the Bucks labeled Antetokounmpo’s setback as a calf strain. Still, the Bucks wanted to be sure. So, there was an MRI scheduled for Wednesday morning.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Antetokounmpo’s left Achilles tendon is fully intact based on the MRI. While that’s great news for Milwaukee, it still remains unclear when Antetokounmpo can return to action.

“His return to play will come with how quickly his left calf strain heals,” wrote the NBA Insider.

The entire NBA has reached the final week of the regular season. Following their Tuesday night win over the Celtics, the Bucks have three games left on schedule, beginning with a Wednesday night matchup against the Orlando Magic.

The Bucks know they are playoff-bound already. Their main focus at this point is locking in a high playoff seed, and getting Antetokounmpo back in action without risking his long-term health.

Mar 14, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) shoots | Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The Impact on the Sixers

A potential Sixers-Bucks series has been discussed over the last couple of weeks. While the 76ers aren’t guaranteed to make the playoffs at this point in the year, they will at least have the opportunity to lock-in the seventh or eighth seed in the Eastern Conference via the Play-In Tournament if the sixth seed moves out of reach.

Landing the seventh seed at this moment would put the Sixers in a seven-game series with the Bucks. Therefore, the health of Antetokounmpo is something Philadelphia will keep their eyes on as the two-way superstar is a game-changing player when he’s on the court.

This year, the Sixers haven’t had any luck against Milwaukee. While their first game back in October was close, the Bucks squeezed out a one-point victory. Since then, Milwaukee collected two more wins over the Sixers with a 37-point differential.

The Bucks haven’t been exactly red-hot lately, as they’ve won just four of their last ten games, but they remain a significant threat to the Sixers at this point.