Why is Giannis Antetokounmpo out of action? Taking a look at Bucks star's injury timeline and evaluating its effect on Milwaukee's season

Giannis Antetokounmpo had an MVP-level start to the season, but now finds himself in the midst of a rough patch. The All-Star forward missed his fourth consecutive game on Tuesday night against the Toronto Raptors.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been forced to sit Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a lingering knee issue. Reports suggest it is nothing serious, but the team is proceeding with caution.

Even with his knee concerns, Giannis has been one of the top players in the league this season. He has posted monstorous averages of 31.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game in 35 games.

Despite the Bucks running everything through Giannis, they've managed to remain competitive on the nights he is out. Out of the 10 games he's missed, Milwaukee has managed to win six. The team is currently riding a two-game win streak as well.

However, after once holding a sizeable gap between other teams in the East, the Bucks now have some teams hot on their heels. Prime among them are the Philadelphia 76ers, who are only a half-game behind them for the second spot in the standings.

If the Milwaukee Bucks want to hold onto their position, they will need the services of their top player again.

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Milwaukee Bucks provide promising Giannis Antetokounmpo update

Ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks' matchup with the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday, head coach Mike Budenholzer fielded questions about Giannis Antetokounmpo. Even though the two-time MVP was slated to miss his fourth straight game, the team is optimistic about the work he's putting in to get back.

"Him being healthy, taking care of him is always our priority, we're probably always going to err on the side of caution because we know how important he is to us," Budenholzer said.

"He's doing a lot of work in the weight room, he's doing some work on the court, he's doing some of his warm-ups. All of those things are part of keeping his knee, keeping everything to where he can play at a high level.

"That's why -- I know it's the fourth game now and that's not what you want -- in our eyes we're very encouraged and optimisitc that he's in a good place."

Budenholzer finished up by saying that he expects Giannis Antetokounmpo to be back in the lineup "soon."

Looking ahead, the Bucks are going to need Giannis if they want to remain near the top of the Eastern Conference. Some of their upcoming opponents include the Denver Nuggets, New Orleans Pelicans, Miami Heat, and LA Clippers