(Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)
Will the Milwaukee Bucks be able to erase the memory of last postseason and win their opening round series without Giannis Antetokounmpo for all of it?
Antetokounmpo recently experienced a left calf strain and missed the final few games of the regular season.
Despite best intentions and high hopes, he will now miss the start of the playoffs.
Adrian Wojnarowski is reporting that the Bucks “are preparing to be without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the start of their opening round series against the Indiana Pacers.”
Wojnarowski added that the Bucks are “hopeful treatment on his left calf strain will allow him to return sometime later in the series.”
ESPN Sources: The Milwaukee Bucks are preparing to be without two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for the start of their opening round series against the Indiana Pacers, but are hopeful treatment on his left calf strain will allow him to return sometime later in the series. pic.twitter.com/8p0wCiRSRl
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 16, 2024
This situation feels frighteningly familiar to last season when the Bucks lost Antetokounmpo right at the beginning of their first-round matchup against the Miami Heat.
Although the two-time MVP did return at the end of the series, the Bucks had already fallen into a deep hole and weren’t able to recover.
Their opening round loss led to some big changes within the Bucks organization and a lot of questions about the the franchise.
With a fully healthy Antetokounmpo, the Bucks should be able to push past the Pacers and into the second round.
Even without him, Milwaukee has a good chance of winning against Indiana, thanks to the great offensive skills of Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton, and others.
Without Antetokounmpo, numerous other players will have to step up and try their hardest to limit the youthful, lightning-fast Pacers team, including Tyrese Haliburton and his assist abilities.
The question now is when will Antetokounmpo be back.
And when he does return, will he be at 100% or will it take him some time to look and act like his normal self?
The playoffs are here so the Bucks don’t want to be without Antetokounmpo any longer than they have to be.
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