Giannis Injury Throws a Large Shadow Over Bucks In Playoffs

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Photo via Giannis Antetokounmpo - Instagram

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Even though the Bucks sputtered past the finish line of the regular season schedule, some good things happened. Milwaukee (49-33) snagged its sixth consecutive NBA Central Division title, and the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs for the championship.

Now, the bad news, Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a left calf injury and was kept out of the last three regular season games. They lost two games in that stretch including the season-ender, a 113-88 loss to the Orlando Magic, on Sunday. The Bucks are 4-5 without him in the line-up.  

Milwaukee is hopeful that he will be able to play soon. However, the first round of the NBA championship playoffs begins this Sunday against the Indiana Pacers (47-35), of all teams. They were 1-4 in games head-to-head this season and have developed a rivalry that encompassed fighting over a game ball last December, producing ill feelings.

Antetokounmpo will not be available for the first game, and possibly the second game, both being played at the Fiserv Forum. Dates have not been set, although games three and four are at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, before the Bucks return home for game five, if necessary. It is a best- of-seven series.

Brilliantly Erratic

While Bobby Portis has been pressed into service as a starter, the Bucks’ overall play this season can be termed “brilliantly erratic.” Some nights, the team is clicking on all cylinders while in others they seem to be wandering lost on the court. As fan Chuck Chemist said, “You can’t win’em all.”

The Bucks were holding a solid second place in the Eastern Conference for most of the season until they went 3-8 in their last 11 games. The season-ending loss to the Magic, coupled with the New York Knicks beating the Chicago Bulls 120-119 in overtime, swapped their positions. The Knicks now play the Philadelphia 76ers in their opening round series.

Consistency has not been a hallmark for the Bucks this season. Something amiss could be readily seen early on, resulting in head coach Adrian Griffin being dismissed, despite a 30-13 record. Defensive lapses and a lack of cohesion were the new norms, and new head coach Doc Rivers remarked that it was a bigger mess than he thought. His record was 19-20 through the rest of the season.

Little things seemed to conspire against the Bucks, before the start of the schedule Oct. 23: firing successful coach Mike Budenholzer; the trades of defensive cogs, Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen; importing Damian Lillard for offense; injuries and the holding out of key players at inopportune times; and swapping head coach again mid-season.

Everything hits the reset button for the playoffs, as if starting fresh. This is the first playoff meeting between the Bucks and Pacers in nearly a quarter-century. The Pacers have added Pascal Slakam since their Jan. 3 game, from the Toronto Raptors, who is averaging 21 points per game. Both squads are among the top six offenses in the league. The Bucks have improved on transition defense since the All-Star break and the Pacers are a top team in scoring on the fast break team, a key aspect to watch.

Game 1 (Sunday) and game 2 are at the Fiserv Forum, games 3 and 4 are at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse, games 5 and 6 (if necessary) at the Fiserv, and game 7 (if necessary) is at Fieldhouse. Games beyond the opener have yet to be determined for dates and times.