Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo ruled out for Game 5 vs. Miami Heat

Gilbert McGregor

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo ruled out for Game 5 vs. Miami Heat image

If the Milwaukee Bucks are to extend their season, they'll have to do so without reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.

After re-aggravating his sprained right ankle in Game 4, Giannis has been ruled out for Game 5 of the Bucks' conference semifinals series with the Miami Heat, who have built a 3-1 series lead.

Antetokounmpo originally suffered the ankle injury in Milwaukee's Game 3 loss and was ruled as questionable ahead of Game 4. In Game 4, Antetokounmpo was a force early on, scoring 19 points in 11 minutes before turning the same ankle once again, causing him to leave the game.

Ahead of Game 5, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said Antetokounmpo was a game-time decision based on how his body reacted to treatment and his pregame routine. Antetokounmpo was seen entering the arena in a walking boot and, according to Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press, was not moving well as he warmed up.

In Game 4, it was All-Star Khris Middleton that stepped up in Giannis' absence, scoring 30 of his 36 points in the second half of an overtime win. The top-seeded Bucks will need a similar effort from Middleton and a team effort all around to extend the series once again.

Milwaukee and Miami take the floor for Game 5 at 4 a.m. IST.

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Gilbert McGregor

Gilbert McGregor Photo

Gilbert McGregor first joined The Sporting News in 2018 as a content producer for Global editions of NBA.com. Before covering the game, McGregor played basketball collegiately at Wake Forest, graduating with a Communication degree in 2016. McGregor began covering the NBA during the 2017-18 season and has been on hand for a number of league events.