Giannis Antetokounmpo says he has “got to be smarter” after returning from 15 matches out with a calf strain in the Milwaukee Bucks’ 108-81 home NBA defeat to the Boston Celtics.
Two-time NBA Most Valuable Player Antetokounmpo produced a team-high 19 points and 11 rebounds but was part of a side who lost a third straight game by at least 20 points, with Payton Pritchard scoring 25 for the victors.
“I’m just happy that I’m out there being able to help my teammates in any way I can and just doing what I love, which is playing basketball,” said Antetokounmpo.
“I want to come back, but I want to make sure I’m healthy. I’m not putting my myself at risk.”
Giannis looking like hasn’t missed a beat 💯
Bucks/Celtics is underway on NBA TV! pic.twitter.com/szVvxBTMxS
— NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2026
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Giannis Antetokounmpo on ‘filling tank’ after injuries
The 31-year-old described himself as “a little bit rusty” and said Milwaukee “did not play well”, having featured for 25 minutes on his first appearance since January 23,
“It doesn’t matter if I play for 18, 20 minutes, 22, whatever,” he said. “I’m just happy that I’m out there. I’m just in a mindset not to take nothing for granted.
“I think I’m in a minute restriction, from what I’m understanding. I trust the the coaching staff and training staff and am slowly getting back in rhythm, to get to where I want to be.
“The more I’m in shape and the more I have my wind under me, the more I can be able to help my team… the more you’re trying to figure out yourself in your spots how you play with your teammates, the more you kind of cave into yourself and you’re not as vocal, you do not control the game as much.
“Right now, I’m at that place. I’m trying to figure out myself, how can I fit in the team.
“A lot of people might say ‘you should not try to fit into the team. You should just go out there and play’. But no, it’s the reality.
“I’m trying to figure out how to play with Scoot [Kevin Porter Jr], Ryan [Rollins], Camo [Cam Thomas], and all these guys.
“Maybe this is the first time in my career when they’ve got to help me find my my identity, not vice versa.”
| Team | 1st | 2nd | 3rd | 4th | Total |
| Boston Celtics | 30 | 27 | 26 | 25 | 108 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 20 | 23 | 22 | 16 | 81 |
Analysis: Giannis Antetokounmpo on injury history
Antetokounmpo missed the All-Star Game with his third injury of this season. “I’ve been injured a lot,” he acknowledged, looking back on his 13 years in the NBA, all of which have been with the Bucks.
“I’ve sprained my ankles. I’ve extended my knee. My back has been hurting me. I sprained my wrist. I’m able to come back.
“When the doctor tells me two, three, four weeks, I’m able to cut that time in half and come back. They’ve told me in the past [I’d have] four weeks out [and] I’ve come back in seven days.
“They’ve told me three weeks out, I’ve been back in four days. I thought it’d be the same [this time]. That’s sometimes not good, because it’s just like a false reality. It’s not always going to be that case.
“I’m 31 years old. I’ve just got to be able to be more smarter moving forward. Things that I was able to do in the past, maybe I’m not able to do now.
“I’ve got to be more methodical with my rehab, the way I take care of my body, the way I play. I’m just stubborn.
Feed him. pic.twitter.com/8XlTdWN3EO
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) March 3, 2026
“I have a lot of smart people around me who tell me the truth and tell me what to do. I’ve been in this position in life by fighting through things and listening to my gut and fighting through adversity.
“Sometimes that’s smart, sometimes it’s not smart. I’m not 24 years old no more. It’s not like I’m 36 or 37. When you deal with soft tissue injuries, it’s hard.
“If you’re not able to take care of your soft tissue injuries, they can linger. I feel like I’ve been playing the whole year with like a deficit.
“Imagine it’s a bank account and you’re at, I don’t know, minus $50, right? And you come back and you’re plus $10 and then all of a sudden you go back minus 15 and you just keep on playing in that line, which is not good.
“You’ve just got to fill the tank and try to get as much as you as much as you can: get your nutrition right, get your weights right, get as much load as you can through practice, the weight room, being able to run on the treadmill for, I don’t know, 20, 30, 40 minutes, because when you come and play in the game, then the game doesn’t feel as hard.
“I feel like I’ve been playing in just a deficit this whole year, and now this is the first time that I feel like I have a little bit in my tank, that I’m not risking anything.”
Here’s a look at some of Antetokounmpo’s recent injuries.
| Dates | Injury | Games missed |
| Jan 23 – Mar 2, 2026 | Right calf | 15 |
| Dec 2025 | Right calf | 8 |
| Nov 2025 | Left adductor | 4 |
| Apr – May 2024 | Left strain | 9 |
| Mar 2024 | Left hamstring | 3 |
| Apr 2023 | Lower back | 3 |
| Feb 2023 | Right wrist | 3 |
Giannis Antetokounmpo NBA stats
Antetokounmpo is one of the few players in NBA history to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists per game over multiple seasons.
The Greek-Nigerian has averaged at least 28 points per game for four consecutive seasons and is 0.7 on blocks and 0.9 for steals this year.
His season-high points came with a haul of 41 against Chicago on November 7, with the game against the Celtics his best overall return. The Bucks are 15-16 when he plays and 11–18 without Antetokounmpo this season.
When do the Milwaukee Bucks play next? NBA fixtures, schedule
The Bucks will aim to keep their play-in tournament hopes intact when they host the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday (20:30 ET / 17:30 PT / 01:30 GMT on Thursday GMT).
Milwaukee are 11th in the Eastern Conference and 5-5. Atlanta are ninth and 6-4.
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