• Bucks coach Doc Rivers expressed frustration that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s desire to play despite injury is a public issue.
• Antetokounmpo has publicly stated he feels healthy enough to play after being sidelined with a knee hyperextension.
• Rivers believes coaches should not have to publicly answer for medical decisions they do not make.

Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers expressed dismay over the public nature of star Giannis Antetokounmpo’s frustration with the team over not being able to play following a hyperextension of his left knee on March 15.

Antetokounmpo had been ruled out since the Bucks’ game against Cleveland on March 17 through their loss to Boston on April 3. Before the game, Antetokounmpo spoke publicly for the first time about being held out despite his belief that he is healthy. He repeated that he is available and doesn’t understand why he can’t play, and noted that he had gone through live workouts in the hopes of being cleared.

After the game, Rivers was asked what he had been told about Antetokounmpo’s progress to a return.

“I’ve been told the same thing,” Rivers said of the workouts.

He then took issue with the fact he has had to answer questions about Antetokounmpo’s availability, or lack thereof.

“The tough part of all this is I’m in the middle and I have nothing to do with it,” Rivers continued. “Coaches don’t decide any of this, but the problem with our league is the coaches are the ones sitting out front and we have to sit here and answer this stuff. And I think there are two sides to this. I will tell you that, but I don’t want to get too involved in it. I talk to Giannis all the time about what he should be working on. Literally, I stay right there in that zone about things that I think he needs to add to his game and that’s it. I decided long ago that’s not for me to get involved in the rest of this stuff. I don’t like it though. I don’t.

“I think this is a grown man’s game and it should be handled that way by everybody. So I don’t like when it’s this ‘he said, she said’ stuff, it’s not good. So, just from that seat, the fact that I have to sit up here and keep addressing it, it bothers me. And we need to do something about it.”

The Journal Sentinel reported that the NBA, along with the National Basketball Players Association, has interviewed Antetokounmpo and members of the organization to determine if the two-time MVP is indeed healthy, and when asked about those conversations Rivers quickly demurred.

“Again, I wouldn’t know any of that,” he said. “That’s the point I’m trying to make. The league, they’re not gonna call me about this. They know I have no decision-making in this. And if they have decided to start talking to us, this is the first I’ve heard it. So, I don’t even know that. Nor should I, nor should I, but I just don’t like that this is so public. And it shouldn’t be. This is where grown men get in a room and they talk it out. Whether they agree or disagree, that doesn’t matter. But this should not be in public. And I don’t like that.”

Finally, Rivers was asked if he held any concern that the dispute would affect the team’s relationship with Antetokounmpo. For his part, Antetokounmpo said he did not like the situation but didn’t go so far as to say it would be permanently damaging.

Advertisement

“You know, I don’t know,” Rivers said. “I have a great relationship with him. I know that part. Literally we talk most every day, or every day that we can around each other. So, I think there’s a lot for business to be done and, you know, I’m out of the business of trying this subliminal messaging or all that crap. I’ve heard all the stuff. I just want everybody to be on the same side. ‘Cause they deserve it. All of ‘em. I don’t think there’s a bad person in this group, none of the guys that I’m talking about. I do. I think they’re all good people. But we gotta figure out how to put good people on the same page and it stays inside. I’ve never been a fan of negotiating in the media. I don’t think it’s good for anybody.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo speaks on being held out by Bucks: ‘I’m available’

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo speaks on being held out by the team for an injury he suffered on March 15: ‘I’m available’

The Milwaukee Bucks will be on the search for a new TV broadcast home after the season, with official word that Main Street Sports is closing its regional-sports network operation.

Main Street, which oversees the FanDuel Sports Wisconsin network that carried Milwaukee Brewers games before 2026 and still carries Bucks games, will no longer carry games for a slew of NBA teams in addition to Milwaukee. All those teams will be free to find new in-market deals for 2026-27.

The news doesn’t come as a surprise for the floundering sports group, but it does leave Bucks broadcasts next year in limbo.

According to the Sports Business Journal:

“For linear – where the rights fees will likely be under $10M annually – many of those teams could either switch to local over-the-air channels or their own in-house networks, such as the Cavaliers’ Rock Entertainment Sports Network.

“For streaming (and even linear, as well), the NBA is urging teams to sign one-year deals or packages with at least a one-year exit clause, in the event the league does not launch a national streaming platform until the 2027-28 season.

“But sources said there is a sense multiple teams could shift to a streaming-only template for next season with platforms such as DAZN or Victory+ – which would be a first for NBA teams.”

In other words, wherever the Bucks land next year, it could be a different model than what fans have known in recent years – and it could be temporary.

Main Street ended its relationship with a number of baseball teams after the 2025 season, with Brewers games now produced by Major League Baseball. Among new agreements with a variety of providers, games are now streamed on the Brewers.TV platform operated by MLB.

SBJ also indicated none of Main Street’s 13 NBA teams have received local media rights payments in 2026, though each team could receive as much as 60% of their lost TV money from Main Street’s creditors once they sign a dissolution agreement.

After a successful homestand to open the season, the Milwaukee Brewers head out on the road for the first time in 2026.

But they’ll get a day off before starting their next series against the Kansas City Royals.

The Brewers have a travel day on Thursday, April 2, following their 5-1 start to the season that saw them sweep the Chicago White Sox and take two of three games from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Here’s what to know about the next series, schedule and early season standings:

When do the Brewers play next?

The next Brewers game is Friday, April 3, against the AL Central’s Kansas City Royals for the start of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium.

Kansas City is 3-3 after its first two series.

It’s the third of four straight interleague series for the Brewers to begin the new season. After their series in Kansas City, the Brewers play at the Boston Red Sox for a three-game set at Fenway Park.

Brewers game today on TV

There is no Brewers game on TV today.

But if you’re not familiar with the channels yet for Brewers games this season given the changes to the broadcasts, here’s a reminder: Games are being broadcast through MLB and the Brewers.

Channels vary for cable providers and streaming is available on Brewers.TV, through the MLB app and Fubo, which offers a free trial. A full-season plan costs $99.99 and monthly plans are $19.99. See Brewers.com/watch for a full list of channels.

Stream Brewers games on Fubo

However, on Friday, the only way to watch the Brewers will be on Apple TV, which requires a subscription.

Stream Brewers on Friday on AppleTV

Brewers schedule

Here is the Brewers’ schedule for their upcoming series in Kansas City:

• Brewers at Royals – Friday, April 3, 6:45 p.m., Apple TV
• Brewers at Royals – Saturday, April 4, 3:10 p.m., Brewers.TV
• Brewers at Royals – Sunday, April 5, 1:10 p.m., Brewers.TV