MILWAUKEE (AP) — Bucks stars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard were supposedly on minutes restrictions, but that wasn't evident from the box score.
Lillard scored 28 points in 38 minutes after missing Milwaukee's previous game with a hamstring injury, and Antetokounmpo had 23 points and 16 rebounds in 32 minutes during Sunday's 120-113 win over the Miami Heat.
Antetokoumpo had missed five games before the All-Star break and sat out the All-Star festivities with a left calf strain.
Coach Doc Rivers said he had a limit of 31 minutes for the two-time MVP, who slightly exceeded that total.
“If he trusted me he should have played me 36 minutes,” Antetokounmpo said with a smile. “He tried to get me out but he couldn’t. I don’t like to play with minutes restrictions. I don’t know how long this is going to go but hopefully I can get back to playing my regular minutes and my regular rotation so I can get my rhythm back.”
Antetokounmpo was limited to 19 minutes in Friday's win at Washington out of caution as well as foul trouble.
Lillard said he was exhausted after All-Star weekend and had been dealing with a hamstring issue before the break. He played against the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday before sitting out Friday.
“When you have that type of fatigue and a lingering injury and you get out there and try to jump out and just keep playing, something could go wrong,” Lillard said. “I played in the first game because I knew that was an important game. Then it was back-to-back and travel.”
The hamstring improved with two days of rest.
“I felt good and I wasn’t really concerned with any restrictions,” Lillard said. “I just went out there and played.”
Taurean Prince, who missed two games with a left ankle sprain, also returned Sunday, as did Gary Trent Jr., who is dealing with a left knee contusion.
Pat Connaughton is sidelined indefinitely with a left calf strain.
“He’s had this through his career,” Rivers said before the game. “Calf injuries are tough. It’s just not a good injury.”
Milwaukee's injury issues come with Bobby Portis Jr. serving a 25-game suspension after testing positive for the painkiller Tramadol, a violation of the league’s anti-drug program.
The Bucks' oldest player, Brook Lopez, who’s in his 17th season, has missed only one of 56 games.
“He’s like a clock and religious about his routine,” Rivers said of Lopez. “He takes this job serious. He’s a model of consistency.”
Rivers said the Bucks need to be cautious with Lopez, especially with Portis out of the lineup until nearly the end of the regular season.
“I worry a lot because he’s 37 and he had one stretch with Bobby out the last time where he logged a lot of minutes and you could see that it affected him,” Rivers said. “This time we’re not going to make the same mistake.”
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AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba
Rich Rovito, The Associated Press
