* On NBA League Pass: Raptors vs. Bucks (8 ET)
The Toronto Raptors and Milwaukee Bucks will both be missing critical players tonight at Fiserv Forum.
The Raptors announced Monday that they will rest star forward Kawhi Leonard and that reserve OG Anunoby will miss the game due to personal reasons. Additionally, Bucks star forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will also miss the game because he has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol.
Toronto is resting Kawhi Leonard for tonight’s game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) October 29, 2018
Raptors announce they are resting Kawhi Leonard in Milwaukee tonight (the first night of a back-to-back). OG Anunoby (personal) is still away from the team and won’t play. Delon Wright is probable. VanVleet questionable.
— Josh Lewenberg (@JLew1050) October 29, 2018
The Bucks issued the following statement regarding Antetokounmpo:
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo has been placed in the NBA’s concussion protocol and will not play in tonight’s game vs. Toronto.
Antetokounmpo sustained a blow to the head in Saturday night’s win over Orlando. Bucks team physicians followed league protocols and consulted the league’s neurologist during the evaluation periods. Antetokounmpo passed his neurological tests that created significant doubt that it was a concussion and he was allowed to return to play.
Antetokounmpo was evaluated again yesterday and reported new symptoms along with a lingering headache. For that reason, he was placed into the concussion protocol and will miss tonight’s game vs. Toronto.
Both teams enter tonight’s game 6-0, with the Bucks off to their best start since 1971-72 and the Raptors in the midst of the best start in team history. Aside from Leonard, Anunoby and Antetokounmpo missing the game, the Raptors say backup guard Delon Wright is probable and fellow reserve Fred VanVleet is questionable tonight. Wright is hoping to play and will likely be a game-time decision.
OG Anunoby will not play (personal). Delon Wright says he is hoping to play; is feeling better. Game time decision. No official word yet on Fred Van Vleet. https://t.co/A5rdLhw7zH
— Eric Smith (@Eric__Smith) October 29, 2018
Antetokounmpo was hurt in Saturday’s win against the Orlando Magic. He fell to the floor underneath the basket midway through the first quarter after catching an elbow from the Magic’s Aaron Gordon.
“I just got hit in the head,” Antetokounmpo said. “I tried to block the shot. I fell down. I don’t remember much after that. I have to be careful with that. We did some (concussion) tests in the second quarter and some additional tests in the third quarter.”
When asked what he remembered about the play, Antetokoumpo said he was “probably knocked out.”
“I just remember the hit. But I’m fine,” he said.
Leonard’s absence will hurt Toronto, as he has scored 20 or more points in each of his first five games played this season and paced the team in scoring four times. Milwaukee must offset the loss of Antetokounmpo, who is averaging a team-best 25 points, 14.2 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game.
Anunoby also missed the Raptors’ win Friday against the Mavericks for personal reasons.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
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