Injury fears for Giannis, Morant as Lakers and Miami Heat win

Milwaukee superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and Memphis star guard Ja Morant suffered serious injuries that threatened to disrupt two title contenders on Sunday in NBA playoff series-opening defeats.
The Los Angeles Lakers took advantage of Morant’s absence late in the fourth quarter for a late surge that produced a 128-112 victory at Memphis while the top-seeded host Bucks, who lost their Greek star in the first quarter, fell 130-117 to the eighth-seeded Miami Heat.
But injury fears for Antetokounmpo and Morant, two of the NBA’s most electrifying stars, were amplified by upset home losses for their clubs in best-of-seven first round openers.
Antetokounmpo averaged 31.1 points and 11.8 rebounds a game this season for an NBA-best 58-24 Bucks squad while Morant averaged 26.2 points for a Grizzlies team that was 51-31.
Morant hurt his already-sore right hand midway into the fourth quarter trying to brace a hard landing after contact while driving to the basket. Morant’s taped right hand took the impact. Morant rose and ran off to the locker room, grabbing his sore hand and screaming as he exited after scoring 18 points.
“I’m in a good bit of pain,” Morant said after the game, declaring his status was “in jeopardy” for game two tomorrow. “Feels like it’s one thing after another.”
Memphis coach Taylor Jenkins said after the game that X-rays on Morant’s right hand were negative but he would likely be kept out of workouts, his status “one game at a time.”
At Milwaukee, Antetokounmpo went onto the floor in the first quarter after defensive contact on a move to the hoop and suffered a lower back bruise that ended his night with game two in Milwaukee on Wednesday.
“We’ll monitor him,” said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer, who added an X-ray came back “clear” on Antetokounmpo.
“We have to wait and see what the doctors say... you’ve got to take it day by day and see how he’s doing and how he feels.”
The Heat, among the NBA’s worst 3-point shooting teams this season, made 15-of-25 from beyond the arc at Milwaukee.
While the Bucks had gone 11-8 in games without Antetokounmpo this season, the Heat led by as many as 15 points with the big man gone.
Miami suffered its own injury setback when guard Tyler Herro broke his right hand diving for a loose ball in the second quarter. He’s expected to be out four to six weeks after averaging 20.1 points this season.
Jimmy Butler led Miami with 35 points and 11 assists. Gabe Vincent was 4-of-5 from 3-point range and Kevin Love was 4-of-7 on 3-pointers.
With Antetokounmpo scoring only eight points, Khris Middleton led the Bucks with 33 points.
Kawhi Leonard scored 13 of his game-high 38 points in the fourth quarter to spark the Los Angeles Clippers to a 115-110 victory at Phoenix in their series opener.