The Milwaukee Bucks are in a deep, deep hole following Friday night's disappointing loss to the Miami Heat. With the top-seeded Bucks now down 0-3 in the series, now more than ever do they need their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo to dominate.
Giannis has been playing relatively limited minutes throughout the second-round matchup against the Heat, which has led some to believe that his ankle issue has been problematic. Antetokounmpo has spoken out about this, and the newly-crowned Defensive Player of the Year winner revealed that his ankle is fine:
"It wasn't bothering me at all," Giannis says of his right ankle.
— Matt Velazquez (@Matt_Velazquez) September 5, 2020
Giannis Antetokounmpo has not eclipsed the 37-minute mark in the first three games. This is unusual to say the least, especially in the playoffs wherein superstars are expected to log 40 minutes and above.
Antetokounmpo himself admitted that he'd like to be on the floor more for Game 4:
Giannis in response to a question from @eric_nehm: "I feel great. Yeah, I could play more."
— Matt Velazquez (@Matt_Velazquez) September 5, 2020
Antetokounmpo is arguably the best player in the league right now, but even he is facing a gargantuan task for the Bucks. Milwaukee is on the brink of elimination, and it would take nothing less than a miracle for them to get back in this one. The fact that Giannis' might be dealing with an ankle problem makes the situation even worse.
The Heat have been tremendous throughout the series thus far, and while more than a few folks gave them an odd chance to upset the mighty Bucks, not many expected them to be this good. Miami is now in a position to amazingly sweep Milwaukee in a couple of days, with Game 4 of this second-round series scheduled for Sunday.
