Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) holds his knee after dunking a basket against the Indiana Pacers in the third quarter and had to leave the game at Fiserv Forum. Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Giannis Antetokounmpo injury update leaves Bucks facing uncertainty

By Yagya Bhargava | Last updated Mar 17, 2026 7:31 PM ET

Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence had people talking heading into the Milwaukee Bucks' Tuesday night game against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

The Bucks star left Sunday's 134-123 win over the Indiana Pacers with what looked like an injury. Milwaukee got the win, but the real story turned into whether Antetokounmpo would be out longer than just one game.

Bucks get concerning Giannis Antetokounmpo injury update

Another setback adds to what has been a rough year for Milwaukee.

Antetokounmpo has been diagnosed with a left knee hyperextension and a bone bruise, per ESPN's Shams Charania, and he will be re-evaluated in one week.

For the two-time MVP, it is just the latest interruption in a season that has been anything but smooth. The timeline gives the Bucks something to work with, but questions about his durability are not going away as the year keeps slipping by.

Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo has been diagnosed with a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise and will be re-evaluated in one week, sources tell ESPN.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) March 17, 2026

How did Giannis Antetokounmpo hurt his knee vs Pacers?

Antetokounmpo hurt the knee with less than four minutes left in the third quarter against Indiana. He grabbed a rebound off a missed three from Jay Huff, pushed it up the floor, drove into Huff, hit a spin move at the free-throw line and finished with a two-handed dunk.

When he landed, his left knee buckled for a second. He stayed down near the baseline during the next possession before getting up.

Then he went right back out there and threw down another dunk after a steal by Myles Turner and a full-court pass from Ryan Rollins, who found him wide open in the paint.

Now the Bucks are waiting to see how things look after a week. Milwaukee needs him healthy if it wants to turn things around this season.

Yagya Bhargava

Yagya Bhargava began his professional journey as a chef, but his passion for sports eventually led him into sports journalism. He started writing in 2022 and has since published more than 5,000 articles covering the NFL and NBA. Along the way, he’s worked with outlets like The Cold Wire, Sportskeeda, The SportsRush, and The Big Lead

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