The Milwaukee Bucks are officially eliminated from the NBA Playoffs, losing in the first round to the Indiana Pacers in six games. That wasn't the expected outcome until Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a brutal calf injury at the end of the regular season, resulting in the superstar not playing in the series.
While Doc Rivers had some optimism about The Greek Freak potentially playing in Game 6, Giannis made it clear Friday that he was never even close to ready.
Via Jamal Collier of ESPN:
“I tried my best to come back to help my teammates,” Antetokounmpo said Friday. “It's kind of hard to see them being out there and not being able to help them, but I just couldn't.
“I did all the tests I had to do, these like protocols you have to follow and have to check the boxes. I wasn't even close at checking the boxes.”
The late-season injury that derailed the Bucks' title aspirations has Antetokounmpo thinking hard about how he'll go about his business this summer and in the 2024-25 season, too:
“I don't know. Maybe I do follow a different pattern,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. “Maybe try different things. I don't like the word ‘rest.' Like, if I can play, I will play. If I cannot play, I can't play.
“I'm for sure going to sit down and think about it, of how my summer is going to look like and how next year is going to look like.”
Disappointing season for Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bucks
Milwaukee went out and pulled off a blockbuster trade for Damian Lillard prior to the 2023-24 campaign with the hope he'd help them get back to the Promised Land. And while the injury to Giannis was the X-factor in their playoff journey ending earlier than expected, this team dealt with health issues and drama all season.
First-year head coach Adrian Griffin was surprisingly fired in January despite the Bucks having a 30-13 record at the time. They instead hired Rivers, who was working for ESPN.
It doesn't help that Dame missed Game 3 against the Pacers because of an Achilles injury while Bobby Portis was ejected early in Game 4. Plus, Khris Middleton was battling through an ankle problem for most of the season, including in the playoffs.
Regardless, this was another first-round exit for the second year in a row for the Bucks. Giannis Antetokounmpo also got hurt in the 2023 playoffs against the Heat, missing two games before returning. But, Milwaukee lost anyway.
The Greek Freak did his part this season, averaging 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 6.5 assists. That being said, this organization failed miserably to get over the hump…again. A new co-star and experienced coach who has won an NBA title didn't make a difference.
On a more positive note, there's no question the Bucks would've gone a lot further had Giannis been healthy. He built nice chemistry with Lillard as the campaign went on as the duo showed they're a dominant force.
It just comes down to actually staying on the court and Antetokounmpo will be doing everything he can to make sure he's not watching from the sidelines in the 2025 playoffs. Of course, the supporting cast must be healthy too, especially Middleton.
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