Giannis Antetokounmpo has looked like the most dominant version of himself to start the 2025-26 season, something the Milwaukee Bucks have benefited from. Unfortunately, with Antetokounmpo sustaining a groin injury during the first half of Monday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Bucks franchise could be in a concerning position moving forward.
The Athletic’s Eric Nehm confirmed that Giannis Antetokounmpo sustained a left groin injury and would not be returning for the remainder of the game against the Cavaliers.
That’s the moment Giannis got hurt and left for the locker-room pic.twitter.com/R6J177bkaB
— Harris Stavrou (@harris_stavrou) November 18, 2025
Giannis Antetokounmpo seemed to have suffered the injury late in the second quarter. After missing a layup, the Bucks superstar was visibly uncomfortable while returning to defend.
After committing a personal foul on Cavs’ big man Evan Mobley, Antetokounmpo subbed himself out of the game and headed to the locker room, as seen in the partial clip.
It is worth noting that Antetokounmpo entered Monday night’s game with an apparent knee injury, though Bucks head coach Doc Rivers said it wasn’t serious enough to keep him sidelined. Following the groin injury, he stated that the forward would be undergoing an MRI on Tuesday.
While the severity of the injury is not known, it is reasonable to assume the recovery timeline could range from a few weeks to several months. Given how important he is to the team, the Bucks will hope that it is a minor injury.
The Bucks Fall To The Cavs After Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Exit
At the time of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury, the Bucks drew level with a 49-49 scoreline behind Kyle Kuzma‘s two-point shot to follow the superstar’s miss. Unfortunately, after the forward exited the game, the Bucks lost their most vital player on the floor.
Following Mobley’s successful free throw attempts, the Cavaliers managed to secure a 51-49 lead. The back-and-forth exchange between the two teams eventually ended in a stalemate with Cleveland holding onto its two-point lead heading into the second half.
With Antetokounmpo out for the game, Milwaukee had limited options. Although Ryan Rollins and Myles Turner stepped up in his absence, with 24 and 15 points, respectively, it wasn’t enough, as the Cavs eventually emerged victorious, 118-106, sending the Bucks to 8-7 on the season.
In 13 minutes played, Antetokounmpo posted 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists, making him the third-highest-scoring player on the team, a clear depiction of how impactful he has been for the franchise.
With averages of 32.6 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game on 63.0% shooting from the field, Antetokounmpo makes a strong case to be considered as an MVP candidate.
Unfortunately, with the Milwaukee Bucks suffering a loss following his exit, the future looks bleak as they head into their next game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday, Nov. 20.
