Giannis Antetokounmpo returns to the basketball court

When Giannis Antetokounmpo fell to the floor in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals after his knee twisted in a gruesome fashion, he said his immediate thought was that not only was this season over — but that next season was, too.

Antetokounmpo suffered a hyperextended left knee on that awkward and ugly-looking fall a week ago in Atlanta against the Hawks.

Instead, Antetokounmpo was only out for a week, and was able to return for Game 1 of the NBA Finals on Tuesday night against the Phoenix Suns. And while Antetokounmpo’s Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Suns 118-105 to begin the seven-game series, all the superstar forward could focus on was that he was able to be on the court and playing alongside his teammates.

“It was tough,” Antetokounmpo said, describing what he went through over the past week to return to the court. “Obviously, I had to do my best to get back. Listen to my medical staff. I did the right treatment. Took care of my body and supported my teammates, and now I’m back.”

“He had a good workout before the game,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “You’ve got to listen to Giannis first. He felt good. The sports performance group felt good … he had been checking boxes the last couple days and making progress and so he was cleared, and he wanted to go, and everybody was on the same page.”

For others — namely the Suns — it was no surprise that Antetokounmpo was playing.”We planned for him to play,” Suns coach Monty Williams said. “Just felt like a guy like Giannis, who all the stories report about how hard he works on his body, we just figured a guy that works that hard is going to find a way to get back on the floor, especially in the Finals.”

Not only was Antetokounmpo playing, but he didn’t look like he’d missed any time at all.