Are the Bucks Badly Hobbled?

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        While the Milwaukee Bucks have a great regular season record, 49-33 and third in the Eastern Conference, there are still some concerns. The biggest concern is the availability of superstar Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo. Antetokounmpo sustained a calf injury in a game against the Boston Celtics then would go on to miss the last three games of the regular season. With Milwaukee finishing third in the East they will face the sixth seed Indiana Pacers in the first-round of the playoffs. It was reported by Shams Charania that there is "real doubt" that Giannis will be available to begin the series. 



        Another concern is Damian Lillard, who the Bucks acquired in a big three-team trade last summer after his eleven year tenure in Portland. After the trade was made many believed they would be the most unstoppable duo in the league but despite their great record they have shown some struggles in regards of fit. This season Lillard averaged the second lowest points per game, second lowest three-point percentage, third lowest effective field goal percentage, and third lowest field goal percentage since the 2015-16 season. The Lillard trade also costed the Bucks their defensive identity as they shipped Jrue Holiday as part of the trade and this season the Bucks had the nineteenth best defensive rating. 



        It was weird when it was reported that the Bucks fired Adrian Griffin, who was the head coach to begin the season. They had a 30-13 record and were second in the Eastern Conference. The Bucks would hire Doc Rivers as his replacement and the Bucks went 17-19 under Doc (per. statmuse). After seeing the results many NBA fans, including myself, wonder how the Bucks made the conclusion that Doc is the guy to get them back to the promise land?  Since Doc won his only championship in 2008 with the Boston Celtics, he has become famous for blowing the most 3-1 leads in a playoff series. To dive deeper into Doc's playoff failures, he has lost 32 close out games, lost seven series when leading 3-2, lost ten game 7's, and lost 12 series when holding a series lead. 



        This is the first time the Indiana Pacers have made the playoffs since the 2020 bubble. While the Pacers are a young team they have given the Bucks some problems this season, going 4-1 against them including beating them in the In-Season Tournament Semi-Finals. There has been a mini rivalry going on against these two Central Division rivals, including a viral scuffle over a game ball. Given all the adversities the Bucks have including the recent Giannis injury, the Pacers have a chance in pulling an upset and getting past the first-round for the first time since 2014. 
Location: Miami, FL, USA

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