Giannis exits with knee injury, called day-to-day

MILWAUKEE — Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a right knee injury and exited with 1:13 remaining in the first quarter of Friday night’s 128-99 victory over the Miami Heat.

Antetokounmpo was hurt when he knocked knees with a Heat player, and the team announced during the second quarter that he would not return. Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said he was not sure on which play Antetokounmpo injured himself, adding that the team would be treating the injury day-to-day.

After working in the post during a possession late in the first quarter, Antetokounmpo passed the ball and quickly started motioning toward the bench, forcing Budenholzer to call a rare mid-possession timeout with six seconds remaining on the shot clock. Antetokounmpo headed straight to the locker room following the play.

“He was basically asking out,” Budenholzer said after the game. “Fortunately we had the ball. I don’t think we know exactly when he knocked knees.”

Antetokounmpo was listed on the injury report earlier Friday with a right wrist injury he suffered in the Bucks’ last game before the All-Star break. He was upgraded from doubtful to questionable to active before Friday night’s game.

He played six minutes on Friday and had four points, four rebounds and four assists.

Despite limited action from Antetokounmpo, who also missed time earlier this season with a left knee injury, the Bucks coasted to victory on Friday night, beating the Heat by 29 points, their largest margin of victory this year.

It extended Milwaukee’s winning streak to 13 games, the longest streak in the NBA so far this season.

“The last two days of practice [without Giannis], we really just emphasized kind of keeping that rhythm, the way that we play,” said Bucks All-Star guard Jrue Holiday, who finished with 24 points and seven assists. “Bud says we turn on the faucet. I think just playing fast, sometimes playing random and keeping our chemistry has been good.”