MIAMI — Giannis Antetokounmpo, who leads the league in scoring this season, was surprisingly ruled out of the Milwaukee Bucks’ NBA Cup match against the Miami Heat on Tuesday night due to swelling in his left knee.

Just an hour prior to the game, it was anticipated that he would take the court. The Bucks had designated Antetokounmpo as probable to participate, attributing his potential absence to a strained left calf; however, the recent knee issue appeared unexpectedly.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers expressed his surprise about the situation about 90 minutes before tip-off, shortly after learning of the knee complications. “I never know,” Rivers remarked, acknowledging that he was also caught off guard by the news.

Milwaukee’s next game is scheduled for Saturday when they host the Washington Wizards. According to the NBA’s player participation policy, which was implemented last season, teams are mandated to have their star players compete in all national broadcasts and NBA In-Season Tournament games unless a legitimate excuse is provided.

Antetokounmpo certainly meets the criteria of a star player by league standards, and the contest in Miami was both a national broadcast on TNT as well as part of the NBA Cup series. Earlier on the same day, the Atlanta Hawks were fined $100,000 for violating this policy by resting Trae Young during a Cup game against the Boston Celtics on November 12.

While Antetokounmpo’s absence in the matchup against the Heat raises questions, it doesn’t automatically imply that the league will impose any penalties or even launch an investigation. The eight-time All-Star has been enjoying a remarkable season, averaging a career-high 32.4 points while shooting 61%. He had participated in 16 out of Milwaukee’s first 17 games this season.

“Listen, with the way he plays and the effort he puts in, there are going to be challenges like this,” Rivers stated. “And when they occur, we simply address them.”