Photo by John Touscany - Getty Images
Fiserv Forum
Fiserv Forum (2024)
The fear of not surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo with a good supporting cast, aligned with the factors of age and injuries killed Milwaukee’s post-season chances again. After the championship 2021 NBA campaign, it has been a series of questionable moves and a lack of cohesion taking away any solid chance for a repeat.
The Indiana Pacers have moved on and will play the top-seed Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals, starting Sunday. They won the first-round playoff series 4-1 against Milwaukee, Tuesday night. It left the Bucks frustrated and with a sense of total confusion in making their third consecutive first round playoff exit.
After the Bucks made themselves overwhelming in the first quarter, both teams were tied at the end of regulation. Milwaukee seemed determined to continue the series on sheer grit. However, it took the final 29 seconds of overtime for the Pacers to cap an 8-0 run, fueled by two turnovers, to win 119-118.
Shoving Match
A jumper by Tyrese Hailburton, with 1.9 seconds remaining, sealed the deal. The final buzzer brought a shoving match started by Kevin Porter Jr., and eventually, emptied both benches onto the court. The NBA will probably mete out fines and admonishments to look official, but the real theme is that one team wanted to win more than the other.
The storyline is that Haliburton (26 points, 10 assists) was not shooting well, and wanted to push his team in the overtime slot. Even Indiana coach Rick Carlisle said, “This one will go down as one of the all-time great Pacers wins because of the circumstances …Ty, authored a big part of this ending.”
Stay on top of the news of the day
Subscribe to our free, daily e-newsletter to get Milwaukee's latest local news, restaurants, music, arts and entertainment and events delivered right to your inbox every weekday, plus a bonus Week in Review email on Saturdays.
Gary Trent Jr. led all scorers with 33 points, followed by Antetokounmpo’s triple-triple of 30 points and 13 assists, along with 20 rebounds. Bobby Portis Jr. was back pulling down 10 rebounds and tapping the net for 14 points.
Triple-Triples, Double-Double
Antetokounmpo had four triple-triples in the last four games and a double-double in the opener. All is now of no consequence, as his statements afterwards revolved around looking himself in the mirror. He has two years left on his contract before free agency kicks in, and the possibility of him being traded away is there.
He made the rumblings before the season began that he wanted to win a championship this year. Or possibly seek another team to play for? Bucks’ general manager Jon Horst was also given a contract extension despite his tinkering and inability to overcome the age factor of the team, and provide Antetokounmpo with backcourt help.
There is also Damian Lillard, who sat out nearly a month with a blood clot in his left calf. He was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis last March, and fed blood thinners, before being cleared to play roughly two weeks ago. His absence was covered admirably by solid team play with a string of eight consecutive wins to finish the regular season.
Sunday night, it was all over for Lillard, at 6:11 in the first quarter of a 129-103 loss. News spread around Fiserv Forum that he had torn his left Achilles tendon. A debilitating injury, the timetable for a return and how to fill the gap now becomes the key focus. His 24.9 points per game average, regardless of spotty defensive play, is needed.
He has a guaranteed contract of $54 million next season that will be paid while being sidelined. The whole payout will be added to the team’s salary cap, and also has a $58.5 million option for 2026-2027.
Doc Rivers did the best he could with a “smoke and mirrors” approach in moving around a revolving cast off the bench. Whether he will decide to return to the golf course, and avoid the drama, is another question. Mike Budenholzer is already coaching somewhere else, and who was the other guy? The one that was 30-13, before being fired by the Bucks’ brass?
