Kofi Inkoom
Milwaukee Bucks’ duo, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, won’t be playing in Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers, as per the team’s announcement.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported early on Tuesday that both players were likely to be sidelined due to injuries. Antetokounmpo has been dealing with a calf strain, while Lillard has been nursing an Achilles strain, leaving the Bucks in a tough spot facing a 3-1 series deficit.
Charania noted on Monday that there were doubts about Antetokounmpo’s return, given his calf strain. The situation was similar for Lillard, exacerbating the Bucks’ challenges in overcoming the series deficit.
Antetokounmpo hasn’t played at all in the series due to his calf injury sustained late in the regular season, while Lillard missed Game 4 due to Achilles tendinitis.
The absence of Antetokounmpo has been a significant setback for the Bucks, who had high hopes of contending for an NBA title this season.
Losing Lillard, who was also absent in Game 4, further diminishes their chances of advancing past the first round. Lillard had been averaging 32.3 points and 5.3 assists per game in the series.
The Bucks will require strong contributions from their remaining players in Game 5 to stay competitive. Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez must continue to elevate their performance, while Bobby Portis, despite his ejection in Game 4, needs to stay consistent for Milwaukee to have any chance of staging a comeback.