The Milwaukee Bucks have been dealing with injuries all season long. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the main player saddled with missing time. After playing for the first couple of months, he hasn’t been able to stay healthy since.
So far this season, Antetokounmpo has played just 36 games. He missed the All-Star game due to a calf injury that he suffered. Antetokounmpo has had issues being healthy when the playoffs roll around. Milwaukee is trying to make a push to make the playoffs right now.
Antetokounmpo was recently injured in a game against the Pacers. Now, Milwaukee knows how much time he will miss.
Bucks Get Unfortunate Injury Update on Giannis Antetokounmpo
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Antetokounmpo has been diagnosed with a hyperextended knee as well as a bone bruise. He will be re-evaluated in one week. That doesn’t mean he will be back on the court in one week, as they will just let him heal for a week.
Right now, the Bucks sit 11th in the Eastern Conference standings. They are a whopping six-and-a-half games behind the Hornets for the final play-in spot. In order to have any hope of making the play-in, they need Antetokounmpo to be as healthy as possible.
Antetokounmpo is on track to play the fewest number of games in his career. That is how poorly this season has gone, just one season after buying out Damian Lillard. It is still likely that they will keep their first-round pick with how poorly the Pelicans are playing, as the Hawks get the best of those two team’s first-rounder.
With this latest injury to Antetokounmpo, there is a chance that the Bucks decide to tank for the rest of the season. He is not going to be healthy for long enough for this team to make a late run at the 10th-seed. Milwaukee might be better off playing for next season.
Milwaukee Made Disastrous Moves in the Offseason
The Bucks were set up for failure from the moment they started making offseason moves. They decided to waive-and-stretch Lillard after he tore his Achilles in the playoffs. They used the money that they saved on the cap to sign Myles Turner away from Indiana.
Turner has been horrible this season for the Bucks. His stats are down across the board from what they were a year ago. Kyle Kuzma was a player they acquired at the trade deadline a year ago. His efficiency is up, but his points and rebounds are down from last season.
Trade rumors will likely heat up around Anteokounmpo again. The Bucks decided not to trade him this past February. When the summer comes around, teams will be lining up to make offers. It’s still unclear whether or not Antetokounmpo really wants to leave Milwaukee.
The Bucks are running out of time to win another championship with Antetokounmpo on the roster. Injuries are starting to pile up, and the Bucks have the seventh-worst offense in the NBA. This might be a sign to shut Antetokounmpo down for the rest of the season.
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