Giannis Antetokounmpo Out for Bucks vs. Raptors with Calf Injury

Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will not play in Wednesday's game against the Toronto Raptors because of a strained right calf.

It will mark the first game Antetokounmpo has missed this season.

Antetokounmpo has averaged 29.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game through his first 10 appearances of the season.

Before the 2023-24 season began, Antetokounmpo dealt with a left knee issue that prevented him from representing Greece in the FIBA World Cup.

As noted by ESPN's Jamal Collier on July 5, Antetokounmpo felt "lingering knee discomfort" since the beginning of the team's offseason in late April. Antetokounmpo also notably missed eight games (including five straight from Jan. 12-21) with left knee soreness last season.

The Bucks and Antetokounmpo decided surgery was the best route to alleviate the problem, and head coach Adrian Griffin provided a positive update on that front.

"He had a routine surgery on his left knee, and it went great," Griffin told reporters in July. "Everything went as planned, and we expect him back and ready to go in training camp."

That's exactly what happened as Antetokounmpo was good to go for training camp, which began Oct. 3.

Antetokounmpo, a two-time NBA MVP and 2020-21 NBA champion, averaged a career-high 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game last year for the Bucks. He is a seven-time All-Star and five-time member of the All-NBA First Team.

Without him, the onus is on Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton to pick up more of the usage slack, and Bobby Portis is the top candidate to replace Antetokounmpo in the starting lineup.