The Milwaukee Bucks have ruled out Giannis Antetokounmpo for Game 3 with a left calf strain.

Antetokounmpo previously missed Games 1 and 2. Antetokounmpo hasn't played since straining his left calf in an April 9 victory over the Boston Celtics. 

Khris Middleton also has a sprained right ankle that kept him from practicing Thursday and puts his status in question for Game 3 in Indianapolis.

When Kevin Durant was diagnosed with a torn Achilles tendon during Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals, he feared he would never return to his superstar form.

"This is career-ending, I'm done," Durant recalled thinking.

"That's what I was thinking," he told ESPN, "because that's all I was hearing, that this s--- is over."

Durant signed with the Brooklyn Nets that offseason, sat out the entire 19-20 season and then reestablished himself as one of the world's best players during the 2021 playoffs.

Durant played 75 games in the regular season this past season and was generally more reliable than his younger co-stars in Devin Booker and Bradley Beal.

"My whole being has been committed to playing basketball. I didn't think it was time yet. It's that simple," Durant said. "And when I'm that committed to something, I didn't even think about anything else but, like, when are we starting recovery? As soon as it happened, everybody wanted to cry with me. I did that for a second, crying, because everybody else was crying, and then I'm like, 'When are we doing surgery? When can I start my recovery process?' And that's how it was, man. I'm ready to get back, quick."

Durant's return was not just fueled by his love for the game, but something existential.

"I think all these guys love it," he said. "It just feels like life or death for me since day one growing up. If I wasn't doing this, what the f--- else am I doing? Until the wheels fall off. I can't just not be the best basketball player that I can be every day. That's been the mentality in my head since I was 8 years old.

"I had no other choice but to go back to work. I wasn't going to go back and be like, 'Mom, Dad, Bro, Sis, Godfather -- all my whole family that has been trusting in me and believing in me that I'm living for and I'm pushing this family name for every day -- [and say] 'I'm done, I tore my Achilles.' Like, what the f--- you mean? You're done? You can't be done."

Mitchell Robinson exited the New York Knicks Game 3 loss at the Philadelphia 76ers at halftime with a sprained left ankle. Robinson initially stayed in the game, but was clearly hobbled by the injury. Following the game, the Knicks center was spotted leaving the arena in a walking boot.

Robinson was injured when Sixers center Joel Embiid fell to the floor when trying to draw an offensive foul. He grabbed at Robinson while falling and pulled Robinson to the floor. The play was later ruled a Flagrant 1 foul on Embiid.

Following the game, several Knicks called the play "dirty" from Embiid. New York will update Robinson's status ahead of Game 4 on Sunday.

The Denver Nuggets won Game 3 on Thursday, extending their win streak against the Los Angeles Lakers to 11 games. The Nuggets are on the brink of sweeping the Lakers out of the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

"Winning is a lifestyle for us," said Nikola Jokic postgame. "It's really good when you're winning.  Especially when you win a lot of games, everybody is happy, everybody  wants to play, everybody is buying into the system. I was here when  we were losing. So I don’t want to go back to that."

Through three games of the 2024 NBA playoffs, Jokic has a PER of 35.0 while averaging 27.7 points, 15.7 rebounds and 8.7 assists.

Jokic is on the verge of his third regular season MVP while the Nuggets are defending their championship. 

Miami freshman Kyshawn George entered the NBA Draft on Thursday and will hire an agent.

George is a projected first-round pick.

"I decided to follow my basketball dream and make it a reality. I did not expect anything from this season besides working on my game and getting better every day," said George.

George averaged 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists this season.

Khris Middleton is questionable for Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers with a sprained right ankle.

"It's another holding-our-breath situation. Honestly, I don't know," said Doc Rivers about Middleton's status.

Middleton, who did not practice on Thursday, suffered the injury in Game 2.

The series is tied 1-1.

Rivers added that Giannis Antetokounmpo is "getting close" to returning to the Bucks lineup.

"Does that mean a day, four days? I'm not sure," added Rivers.

Joel Embiid has been treated for a mild case of Bell's palsy over the past week. Bell's palsy is an unexplained episode of facial muscle weakness or paralysis. 

The condition began during the Philadelphia 76ers' Play-In win last week against the Miami Heat. Embiid has been spotted wearing sunglasses inside, which is related to the condition. Embiid had wanted to keep the situation private to avoid distractions for the Sixers.

Embiid had 50 points in Philadelphia's Game 3 win over the New York Knicks.

Stephen Curry has won the Jerry West Trophy as the 2023-24 NBA Clutch Player of the Year. 

The award, which was introduced last season, honors the NBA player who best comes through for his teammates in the clutch.  

In the 2023-24 regular season, Curry scored an NBA-high 189 points in clutch situations, which are defined as possessions in the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points.  He also led the league in clutch field goals made (59) and clutch three-pointers made (32). 

Curry shot 49.6% from the field, 45.7% from three-point range and 95.1% from the free throw line in clutch time.