Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard isn’t letting Giannis Antetokounmpo’s injury discourage him in their NBA Playoffs series against the Indiana Pacers.
Despite Antetokounmpo’s likely absence in Game 1 and potentially beyond, Lillard has found a silver lining amid all the issues and uncertainties surrounding them.
Damian Lillard Speaks Out on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Injury for Milwaukee Bucks
Lillard and Antetokounmpo have had their fair share of injuries during the 2023-24 season, forcing the two to sit out in games. Both played just in 73 games this campaign, with Antetokounmpo missing their last three outings after suffering a calf injury against the Boston Celtics earlier in April.
In the games that Antetokounmpo missed, the Bucks were 4-5. It’s not a great record, but it shows the team has at least found ways to win even without their best player. Three of those wins came against playoff contenders as well, such as the Los Angeles Clippers, Phoenix Suns and Orlando Magic.
With that being said, Lillard is looking at the bright side, highlighting that they are well aware of what they need to do when their top player is down.
“I think the good part about it is it’s not something that’s unfamiliar. We’ve had our stretches of games where we’ve been short-handed, and we kind of know what it’s going to look like for us out there,” Lillard said, via Bally Sports.
There’s no denying that Antetokounmpo’s absence is a huge blow to the Bucks, and it puts them at a huge disadvantage. There’s just no way they can replace the kind of production and impact that he brings.
It certainly doesn’t help that Lillard himself is dealing with injuries of his own, having suffered from adductor issue and an Achilles tendon ailment over the last couple of weeks.
Despite that, you have to give props to Lillard for not using them as excuse. Instead of thinking about the possibility of losing, he’s keeping his eyes on the prize and believing on what they can do as a team–regardless of who’s in or who’s out.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Injury Status for Milwaukee Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been officially listed as doubtful for Game 1 against the Indiana Pacers. He’s expected to be out, however, so Damian Lillard and Co. have been preparing as such heading to the postseason.
The bigger issue is Antetokounmpo could even need up to four weeks to recover from his calf injury, which could rule him out for the rest of their NBA Playoffs series with Indiana.
Without Giannis, the pressure is on Lillard to carry the scoring load for Milwaukee as they try to match up with the high-octane offense of Indiana–the second-best offense in the NBA.
The good news, as seen above, is that Lillard appears ready for the challenge. Hopefully, though, the rest of the team also responds and go all-out.
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