Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks sat out the final three games of the regular season due to a calf injury. Despite the Bucks initially securing the third seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs, they slid down to the sixth seed.
As a result, they will face the Indiana Pacers in the first round, a team they struggled against during the regular season, losing four out of five matchups.
Shams Charania from The Athletic reported on Twitter that there are concerns about Antetokounmpo’s availability for the start of the playoff series against the Pacers. Although he is undergoing daily rehabilitation, there is uncertainty surrounding his status for Game 1. Despite Antetokounmpo’s remarkable ability to recover from injuries, his participation remains uncertain.
The potential absence of Antetokounmpo is concerning for the Bucks, especially considering their recent history of playoff injuries. Throughout the season, he demonstrated his dominance, averaging 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game, ranking among the league’s leaders in multiple categories.
Should Antetokounmpo miss Game 1, the Bucks will rely heavily on Damian Lillard, whom they acquired from the Portland Trail Blazers in the offseason. Lillard, known for his scoring and playmaking abilities, has been a key contributor for the Bucks, averaging 24.3 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 7.0 assists per game.
Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo missed the last three games of the regular season with a calf injury. With the Bucks being the number three seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, they will be the sixth seed and face the Indiana Pacers in Round 1 and Milwaukee lost 4-of-5 to Indiana during the regular season.
Shams Charnia of The Athletic posted on his Twitter on Monday morning about the update to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury by saying:
“Update on an All-NBA star ahead of playoffs: Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) is rehabbing daily but there’s some real doubt for his status to begin series vs. Pacers on Sunday, sources say. Although Giannis has rare recovery ability, he’s very much up in the air for Game 1.”
The fact that Game 1 is not for another six days and Antetokounmpo is not potentially ready to play is not a good thing for this franchise. Injuries have caused some bad luck to this franchise over the past few seasons, especially around the postseason.
This season he played in 73 games and averaged 30.4 PPG, 11.5 RPG, and 6.5 APG. Antetokounmpo was second in the NBA this season in points per game, sixth in the NBA this season in rebounds per game, and 14th in the NBA this season in assists per game. He is one of the most dominant players in the NBA.
Milwaukee Bucks Damian Lillard Will Need To Step Up With Giannis Antetokounmpo Potentially Sidelined For Game 1
If Antetokounmpo does not play in Game 1 for the Bucks against the Indiana Pacers on Sunday, it is time for Damian Lillard to step up. This is why Milwaukee traded for him in the offseason from the Portland Trail Blazers. Lillard played in 73 games this season for the Milwaukee Bucks and averaged 24.3 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 7.0 APG.
He ranked 16th in the NBA in points per game, 100th in the NBA in rebounds per game, and 10th in the NBA in assists per game. What has been underrated about Damian Lillard is that he gets his teammates involved whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo is on the floor with him.
The Pacers are one of the best offensive teams in the NBA and the Bucks will need Antetokounmpo’s and Lillard’s scoring to keep up with Indiana. Also, Milwaukee seems to be better defensively under Doc Rivers compared to Adrian Griffin Jr. However, if Milwaukee were to lose the first-round series without Antetokounmpo, they would get a pass but if he came back healthy and they lost, then it is a different discussion to be had also.
His capability to involve teammates has been underrated, offering hope for the Bucks even in Antetokounmpo’s absence.
Facing the offensively potent Pacers, the Bucks will need both Antetokounmpo’s and Lillard’s scoring prowess to contend.
Additionally, under the coaching of Doc Rivers, the Bucks have shown improvements defensively compared to previous seasons. However, should they falter in the first round without Antetokounmpo, their performance may be forgiven, but his return and subsequent defeat would raise different questions.
