The worst thoughts crossed Giannis Antetokounmpo’s mind.
He not only believed he suffered a season-ending knee injury against the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, he wondered if next season might be wiped out, too.
“When the play happened,” he said, “I thought I’m going to be out for a year, you know.
“I couldn’t walk probably, and my knee was like double the size. Usually I never swell up. But you know, I woke up the next day, did whatever it’s called, MRI or X-ray, I don’t know what it’s called, and they said I’m good. And I was like, ‘Thank God.’ ”
The imaging revealed a hyperextended left knee, but the Milwaukee Bucks remained quiet about the extent of the injury until they elevated his status for Tuesday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns from doubtful to questionable.
A week after the injury, the Bucks medical staff cleared him to play in the Bucks’ 118-105 series-opening loss.
