Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out Game 2 against the Miami Heat due to a back injury. Without their best player and one of the best in the world, the Bucks went on to beat the Heat by a final score of 138-122 to even the series up at one game apiece. Still, when the Bucks visit the Kaseya Center on Saturday night to play Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo, and the Heat, every Bucks fan will surely be dying to know: Is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing tonight in Game 3 vs. the Heat?

Giannis Antetokounmpo injury status vs. Heat

The Bucks initially had Antetokounmpo listed as questionable for Saturday's showdown with a lower back contusion, per the NBA's official injury report. Unfortunately for Bucks fans, the former back-to-back MVP has now been downgraded to out for Game 3.

In other injury news relevant to the Bucks, Wesley Matthews (right calf strain) will sit out for Milwaukee.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, 28, is in his 10th year in the NBA, all as a member of the Bucks franchise. He averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game across 63 appearances this season (all starts).

The Greek native struggled to shoot the ball efficiently from behind the three-point arc in the 2022-23 campaign, even by his standards — Antetokounmpo's 27.5% three-point percentage was his lowest since the 2018-19 season.

Expect the Bucks to still have a good shot at beating the Heat on the road on Saturday even without Antetokounmpo in the lineup. After all, the Bucks have been road warriors all year, as they finished the regular season with a 26-15 road record, the best in the NBA. But with regard to the question, Is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing tonight in Game 3 vs. the Heat, the answer is no.