NBA: Doc Rivers defends Bucks' handling of Giannis Antetokounmpo's injury

A day after the National Basketball Players Association criticized the Milwaukee Bucks for their handling of superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his injury status, coach Doc Rivers on Wednesday defended his organization and the decision to not play his star.

"He's progressing," Rivers told reporters Wednesday. "He's just not healthy."

Reports surfaced last week that Antetokounmpo, a 10-time All-Star and two-time league MVP, requested to play but the club refused. On Tuesday, the NBPA released a statement calling the Bucks out for tanking.

"The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court," the union said in its statement. "Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked. We look forward to collaborating with the NBA on meaningful new proposals that will directly address and discourage tanking."

The Bucks are 29-43 and nine games out of the final play-in spot in the Eastern Conference with 10 games remaining following Wednesday's 130-99 blowout at the hands of the Trail Blazers in Portland.

"We're just trying to get Giannis clear and healthy," Rivers said before the game. "That's our only focus. All the other stuff, we stay above."

Antetokounmpo has endured an injury-plagued season that has caused him to miss a career-high 36 games. The team, which had rebuffed trade offers for its superstar, has argued that it's best for Antetokounmpo's future as well as for the organization that he cut short the season, per the reports.

Antetokounmpo missed 15 games due to a calf strain before returning on March 2, then sat out another two games when the team went 2-4 with him and 0-2 without him. A left ankle sprain was cited as the cause of his absence from the 122-99 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on March 14.

He exited during the third quarter after landing awkwardly on a dunk during a home victory over the Indiana Pacers on March 15. Then he missed a home loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers on March 17 and road games against the Utah Jazz on Thursday (loss), against the Phoenix Suns on Saturday (win) and the Los Angeles Clippers on Monday (loss).

He is averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists in 36 games and already is set to play the fewest games of his 13 seasons with the Bucks. His previous low was 61 games during the shortened 2020-21 campaign.

Antetokounmpo has career averages of 24.1 points, 9.9 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 895 games (830 starts).

-Field Level Media/Reuters