Giannis Injured as Bucks Fall; Pistons Extend Streak; Bulls Edge Nuggets in Thriller

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a left groin strain during the team’s 118-106 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, raising concerns about his immediate availability. The injury occurred late in the second quarter, forcing him out of the game after registering 14 points, five rebounds, and four assists. 

He did not return to action. The Bucks have yet to announce a timeline for his recovery, with further medical evaluations scheduled for Tuesday. Head coach Doc Rivers remained cautious after the game, saying, “We won’t know anything until tomorrow. It didn’t look great, I can tell you that.”

Rivers suggested that Antetokounmpo may have been struggling with discomfort earlier but chose to stay on the floor before ultimately exiting. At that point, Milwaukee trailed by just a point but faltered without their star in the second half. Cleveland capitalised, with Donovan Mitchell leading the way through a dominant 37-point, seven-assist performance. Sam Merrill provided crucial support, knocking down six three-pointers to finish with 20 points.

Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons continued their impressive surge by defeating the Indiana Pacers 127-112, extending their winning streak to ten games. Jalen Duren spearheaded Detroit’s performance with a powerful return from a sprained right ankle. After missing two games, he delivered 31 points and 15 rebounds, shooting an outstanding 12-for-13 from the field. Detroit’s presence in the paint was overwhelming, outscoring Indiana 66-48.

Daniss Jenkins stepped up once again in Cade Cunningham’s absence, recording 26 points and eight assists. Javonte Green added valuable depth off the bench with 20 points. The loss marked another difficult night for the Pacers, who have now dropped eight games in a row and have suffered six straight defeats by at least 15 points. Their record has slipped to 1-13, a dramatic decline from their NBA Finals appearance just months earlier.

In Chicago, the Bulls halted their five-game losing streak with a narrow 130-127 win over the Denver Nuggets. The Bulls built an 18-point advantage in the first half but had to fight off Denver’s late push. Key three-pointers from Nikola Vucevic and Kevin Huerter in the closing minutes proved decisive.

Despite another dominant triple-double from Nikola Jokić—36 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists—the Nuggets fell short. Jokić shot 13 of 27 from the field, marking only his second game this season below 50 percent shooting. Jamal Murray also impressed with 34 points and 11 rebounds, while Cameron Johnson contributed a season-high 19 points from long range. Chicago’s bench played a crucial role, with Josh Giddey adding 21 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists to help secure the victory.