The Milwaukee Bucks just can't catch a break this series. They came into the playoffs already without superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo due to a calf injury. They had a brief moment where Khris Middleton seemed to be injured, as well. Now, the team will not have their third star for a critical game. The Bucks announced that Giannis AND Damian Lillard will be out for Game 4 against the Pacers.
“Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard are both listed as out for tonight’s game.”
As mentioned earlier, Giannis has been dealing with a calf strain that's kept him out for the last three games. Without Giannis, Lillard has carried the load for the Bucks. Unfortunately, the Bucks star suffered an Achilles injury during the loss. The hope is that it's not a career-threatening Achilles injury, but it was enough to force Dame to miss Game 4.
The final member of the Bucks' big three, Khris Middleton, is also playing wounded too. Middleton suffered an ankle sprain in Game 2, and he was in danger of missing Game 3. The former All-Star forward ended up playing… and scoring a playoff career-high 42 points. Unfortunately, it was not enough to pull off the win.
Bucks in peril
The Bucks are now in serious danger for Game 4. They're already down 2-1 in the series after dropping Game 3 on the road. Now, they'll have to fight to keep the series tied in front of what will likely be a raucous Indiana crowd without two of their star players.
This, unfortunately, is not an unfamiliar sight for the Bucks. In the last few playoffs, Milwaukee has not been healthy for their series. Whether it's Middleton, Antetokounmpo, or Jrue Holiday before this year, the team has simply not been healthy since their 2021 championship run. They have not been able to capture that same magic they've had before.
Can they still win this series? Oh, absolutely. The Pacers, while they're still hot right now, are not the most intimidating of teams. Even with an injured Middleton and Lillard, Indiana struggled to pull away from the Bucks completely. There's certainly an opening that Milwaukee can exploit against this relatively younger and inexperienced team.
Pacers' time to shine
With Antetokounmpo and Lillard out, the Bucks HAVE to make sure to shut down the Pacers' offense as much as possible. They cannot afford to get into a shootout with this Indiana team. They are pretty loaded on offense, with Tyrese Haliburton conducting the offense. He hasn't been as efficient as he was in the regular season, but he's still solid.
Another familiar face that the Bucks will need to deal with is Pascal Siakam. Siakam has been a thorn on Milwaukee's side since his days in Toronto. He's already made his mark on the series, dropping a 30-piece in Game 2 to tie up the series.
This game is going to be a major pivot point for the series. A Bucks win here could completely demoralize the Pacers while buying time for their stars to return. Meanwhile, the Pacers winning will give them a commanding 3-1 lead. Who will come out on top?
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