Andrés Soto, USA TODAYTue, March 3, 2026 at 3:58 AM UTC·2 min readWhen Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with a right calf strain on Jan. 23, he told reporters that he would likely miss 4-6 weeks.
Turns out, he was right on schedule as Antetokounmpo made his return to the Milwaukee Bucks' lineup in Monday's 108-81 loss to a Jaylen Brown-less Boston Celtics team.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAt one point, it was uncertain if Antetokounmpo would ever play in a Bucks uniform again after suffering his injury just over two weeks ahead of the trade deadline. His name has been surrounded by trade rumors for the past few years, but they especially heated up this season when it was reported that he was "open" to a trade.
But the Bucks didn't deal the two-time NBA MVP — at least for now — and re-tooled his supporting cast by taking low-risk fliers on Cam Thomas and Ousmane Dieng. The team hasn't exactly taken off though, the Bucks have just a 6-5 record since Feb. 5 and currently sit in 11th place in the Eastern Conference, 3.5 games behind the red-hot Charlotte Hornets for the final play-in spot.
And while Milwaukee hasn't been a good team in almost any facet this season, they still at least have a shot when they have their superstar. With Giannis, the Bucks are 15-16 and average 113.6 points per night. Without him, they drop to 11-18 and 109.1 points.
Here's how Giannis did in his return to the court on Monday vs. the Celtics:
Giannis Antetokounmpo stats vs. Boston Celtics
Points: 19
FG: 7-for-18 (0-for-2 from 3-point line)
Free Throws: 5-for-7
Rebounds: 11
Assists: 2
Steals: 0
Blocks: 1
Turnovers: 3
Fouls: 1
Minutes: 25
Celtics vs. Bucks highlights
The biggest stories, every morning. Stay up-to-date on all the key sports developments by subscribing to USA TODAY Sports' newsletter.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Giannis stats, points tonight, Bucks vs. Celtics highlights
AdvertisementAdvertisement