NBA insider Brian Windhorst is concerned about what Giannis Antetokounmpo would do should the Milwaukee Bucks suffer a first-round playoff exit for the second straight year.
The Bucks will face the Indiana Pacers in the opening round of the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but considering that Tyrese Haliburton and Co. have gotten the better of them during the season, there’s a legitimate possibility that an upset can happen. With that, Windhorst couldn’t help but think what’s next for the Greek Freak in Cream City.
Brian Windhorst Gets Brutally Honest on Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo

Speaking on the latest episode of ESPN’s Get Up, Windhorst shared that the Bucks and the Milwaukee fanbase should be more worried about Antetokounmpo’s commitment to the team if ever they were to really lose in the first round of the NBA Playoffs again.
A lot of fans and experts have been talking about how the Bucks should move on from Damian Lillard should they fail to make it past the Pacers, including ESPN commentator Stephen A. Smith. But for Windhorst, Antetokounmpo should be the bigger worry for the team.
“If they lose in the first round–that’s a big statement right there–the first person you’re worried about isn’t Dame, it’s Giannis. You want to make sure Giannis is still committed … “If they go down in the first round again, they have the disappointment back-to-back years, I’m not sure where Giannis is going to be,” Windhorst explained.
“But no matter what happens, this is a flawed roster. … They have to be chasers one way or another, and they basically mortgaged their entire draft for the future. So they’re gonna have to be creative.”

There’s certainly merit to what Windhorst just said. As Bucks fans would remember, Antetokounmpo previously refused to commit to the Bucks until they show him that they are going to win for a championship. It seemed to be resolved after they acquired Lillard, but clearly, the team didn’t get the results they expected.
Not even the hiring of Doc Rivers as head coach addressed their glaring defensive issues. And while they are a Top 3 team in the East, they are more vulnerable than ever.
Milwaukee Bucks vs. Indiana Pacers in NBA Playoffs

For now, however, the Milwaukee Bucks cannot think too much about the future. They also cannot enter the playoffs thinking they would lose to the Indiana Pacers.
Indiana is already brimming with confidence ahead of the showdown after winning four of its five games against Milwaukee during the 2023-24 season. The Bucks can’t give them any more reason to be optimistic in the showdown.
Not to mention that with Giannis Antetokounmpo’s calf injury making his status a big question mark for the playoffs against the Pacers, the Bucks can’t really focus on anything else but preparing for the match-up.
Regardless of what happens in the future, Milwaukee can only take one step at a time.

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