Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 21 points in his return to the starting lineup, helping the Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Brooklyn Nets 115-108 on Thursday night at Fiserv Forum.
Antetokounmpo had missed two games due to what the team described as tendinopathy in his hamstring, a condition generally caused by overuse and characterized by pain.
He shot 9-of-19 from the field and recorded nine rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in 35 minutes of play.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets (Via NBA/Twitter)
“You try to control what you can control,” Antetokounmpo said. “Things like this are going to pop up now and then.
Kind of unexpected, but at the end of the day, these are the cards you’ve been dealt, and you just have to keep on figuring it out, keep on playing through pain, playing through adversity.”
The Bucks were without Khris Middleton, who rested after playing 33 minutes in a 122-119 loss to Boston, as the team continues to manage his workload following his recovery from a sprained left ankle.
Milwaukee Bucks vs Brooklyn Nets (Via NBA/Twitter)
Middleton’s ankle injury had caused him to miss 16 consecutive games before he returned Sunday in a 140-129 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
“He’s been out all these games, and he’s playing great,” Bucks coach Doc Rivers said before Thursday’s game. “We just want to keep him where he’s at.”
The Bucks have not had their top three players — Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and seven-time All-NBA guard Damian Lillard — all available for the same game since a February 3 victory at Dallas.
