Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Ruled Out vs. Heat After Suffering Ankle Injury

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out for the remainder of Sunday's Game 4 matchup against the Miami Heat after reinjuring his right ankle in the second quarter, with the team listing it as a right ankle sprain.

Antetokounmpo went down on an Andre Iguodala shooting foul and could not put weight on his right ankle. He eventually limped back on the court to shoot free throws so that he could potentially return to the game.

According to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, Antetokounmpo lobbied for the team to tape up his ankle and allow him to return to the court. However, he reportedly couldn't plant or push off with that ankle.

Wojnarowski noted Antetokounmpo has not been ruled out for Tuesday's Game 5.

"He'll get treatment through the night and we'll just see how he does in the next 24-48 hours," Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters after the game.

Of note, though, Marc J. Spears of The Undefeated reported Antetokounmpo left the arena wearing a protective boot.

Antetokounmpo had been limited by an ankle injury, which was called a sprain after the Game 3 loss to the Miami Heat. He was considered probable for Game 4.

The forward struggled mightily during the Bucks' third straight loss, shooting 7-of-21 from the field and 0-of-7 from three-point range. Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports reported he was "severely limping" after the game.

Despite the problems on the court and the apparent grimacing during the game, Giannis refused to blame the ankle.

"It wasn't bothering me at all," he said Friday night, per Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel.

The reigning MVP and 2019-20 Defensive Player of the Year helped carry the Bucks to the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference this season, averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists. He is a key part of everything the team does on both ends of the floor, and Milwaukee will be hard-pressed to replace his production and overall impact.

Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez and Eric Bledsoe can help pick up the slack, although inconsistency is a factor for all three.

Marvin Williams should also see significant playing time to help provide balance in the frontcourt.