News Bucks Team Notes

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Report: Damian Lillard diagnosed with torn left Achilles

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Confirmation sets Lillard on course for long absence from the court

When Damian Lillard went down last night on a non-contact injury and was immediately taken to the locker room during the Milwaukee Bucks 129-103 defeat to the Indiana Pacers, you knew the prognosis was probably pretty grim. Flash reporting in the moment did nothing to assuage those concerns, and today we finally have confirmation: Damian Lillard has torn his left Achilles tendon.

FROM SHAMS: Just in: Milwaukee Bucks star Damian Lillard has been diagnosed with a torn left Achilles tendon, sources tell ESPN. MRI today revealed the severity. A devastating end to his season.

— Shams Charania Tweets (& Other NBA News) (@shamsbot.bsky.social) 2025-04-28T18:03:36.829Z

We’ve had an evening and morning to process and prepare for this possibility, although it is still a gut punch to get the official word on it. The loss of Lillard prior to a do-or-die Game 5 tomorrow night in Indianapolis is bad enough. Much worse are the potential cascade of consequences that trail from this turn of events.

Like last night, let’s begin at the personal: such a sequence has to be something of a mind bender for Lillard after he was able to get back from a March DVT diagnosis. He took on a heavy minute load out of the gate in Game 2 and looked rusty doing it, but he was out there and looked physically capable. That he now faces what is likely a completely lost season and grueling road to recovery from surgery must be massively daunting. He’ll be in good professional care, yet he will now have to spend most of the next 12-plus months rehabbing largely on his own with the medical staff. Lillard has the kind of competitive mindset that he can push through the strain. It remains a massive strain, though. Any catastrophic failure of the body results in a sort of soul searching by necessity. We wish him luck on that journey.

For the Bucks the news is obviously a disaster of a different order. Lillard is owed around $54 million in the 2025-2026 season which he has a high chance of missing. After that, he has a player option estimated around $58 million for 2026-2027 — I’ve a feeling he will be picking that option up come hell or high water. At age 34, such an injury is likely to put a damper on Lillard’s athleticism when he returns to the court at 35 or 36 (depending on how long his recovery timeline runs). He’ll have taken a hit, then, as both a tool on the court and as an asset off of it; any ideas kicking around about exploring his trade value can now be put to bed.

In 2025-2026 the Bucks can try to apply for a Disabled Player Exception (DPE) to free up some space to sign a guy on a one-year deal. If the Bucks apply for it and an NBA-designated physician agrees that Lillard is “substantially more likely than not” to be sidelined through June 15th of a given year’s league calendar, they will be allowed to sign a player for up to the MLE (~$12.8 million this season). That signing is good for one season only and a DPE does not increase the number of full-roster slots Milwaukee can work with. Dame will take up a 15 man spot regardless of the league’s ruling. Still, some reinforcement is better than nothing at all. And, after all, the Bucks could apply for a DPE and be denied it by the league if the physician thinks Dame could be back and available prior to June 2026.

After all, Kobe Bryant came back (relatively) quickly from his late-career Achilles tear:

Injury info on Damian Lillard: The average time lost for qualifying NBA players following an Achilles tear is ~10 months. Dame is 54 days older than Kobe was when he tore his Achilles. Bryant was back in action in 240 days (~7.9 months)

— Jeff Stotts (@instreetclothes.bsky.social) 2025-04-28T19:09:26.922Z

Of course, the greatest cloud lies about the state of the franchise. Burning their last reserves of draft capital to acquire Lillard pushed them onto a very tight competitive timeline. They have not been notably competitive on said timeline. That’s down to bad injury luck, head coach chaos, and much else besides. Getting under the second apron thanks to the Khris Middleton-Kyle Kuzma trade will grant them a modicum of flexibility when it comes to roster building this summer, but missing a guy taking up $54 million of your cap sheet will put a massive dent in how far they can go next season.

Should Giannis Antetokounmpo remain committed to the franchise, however, there could also be some room for experimentation and adjustment in style of play in a pivot from the last remnants of the title-winning core. I won’t even bother trying to sell you on there being a real silver lining; I’d be just as off-base, however, to write as if all is a foregone conclusion and that the horizon of action has been reduced to nil. This is a truly terrible spot to be in, but someone has to suit up and play the games—it is up to GM Jon Horst to figure out who and how the team can rescue something from what could be a rocky upcoming regular season.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/4/28/...rd-achilles-tear-milwaukee-bucks-nba-playoffs

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Milwaukee Bucks vs Indiana Pacers Game 5 Preview: Last Chance Saloon

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

It’s grim. Very grim.

The Milwaukee Bucks will attempt to hold off elimination as they go into the Fieldhouse to face the Indiana Pacers. The Pacers lead the series 3-1 and a victory will put the final nail in a first-round gentleman’s sweep.

Where We’re At​

It’s bad. Very very bad. The Bucks' loss in Game 4 puts them in a challenging position (to put it mildly), being down 3-1 in the series and now having to win the next three games to survive and advance. Add Damian Lillard’s torn Achilles into the mix and it’s tough to see how Milwaukee rebounds. But is it possible for them to rally for at least one night? In order to do so, they’ll need Giannis Antetokounmpo playing at his best level with plenty of the other role players contributing as well. We saw in Gary Trent Jr’s Game 3 performance that it can be done—not to mention a solid Game 2 outing from Bobby Portis—but it is hard to look at this roster and come away convinced that someone(s) has that type of game in them.

The Indiana Pacers’ offense remains fluid and able to expose the Bucks’ defensive schemes, getting to their spots, finding favorable matchups, and generating a load of open threes with relative ease. Game 4 saw TJ McConnell drive to the rim and stick a dagger or three in the Bucks as they tried to will themselves back into things in the third quarter. Combine that with solid shooting performances from Obi Toppin and Myles Turner to ultimately unravel Milwaukee’s zone defense that has been used as a kind of anchor. Indy surely smells blood in the water and will want to make sure they can win the series on their homecourt for the second consecutive year.

Injury Report​

Unfortunately, we know Dame will not be available with the aforementioned Achilles tear. Tyler Smith is doubtful with an ankle injury. Indiana will miss Isaiah Jackson (torn achilles recovery), Benedict Mathurin (abdominal contusion) is listed as questionable, and Aaron Nesmith (lower back bruise) is probable.

Player To Watch​

If Milwaukee is going to stay alive and win this game, they will need to see a herculean effort from Giannis Antetokounmpo. It feels similar to Jon Snow taking on the army in Game of Thrones or galvanizing the troops like when Legolas, Aragorn, and Gandalf meet up with the elven army at the Battle of Helm’s Deep in The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (editor’s note: this is masterful metaphor making). If there is anyone who can save the Bucks, it’s the greatest player in the franchise’s history. Easy peasy.

How To Watch​

NBA TV and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 5:00 p.m. CDT.

Playback Streaming​

---

---

---

Support our site! | BreakingT | ESPN+ | ESPN+ 30 For 30 | fuboTV | Disney+

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/4/29/...t-time-tv-schedule-injury-report-nba-playoffs

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs. Pacers Game 5: A choking self-capitulating disasterclass

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

A terrible way to end the season

The Bucks lost game five in embarrassing fashion, and their season is over. Read our full summary of the game here and catch a six-minute audio recap on the Bucks+ podcast Bucks In Six Minutes below.

What Did We Learn?​

The Bucks’ season ending the way it did felt fitting. Unable to play well for four quarters, stagnant offense, exploited defense, and faltering under pressure. We saw numerous themes from this team throughout the series and the overall season. It was a top-to-bottom failure by the front office, the coaching staff, and the players. It’s unlikely the Bucks would have won this series, but like the 2023 first round matchup against the Miami Heat, how the Bucks collapsed will leave a bitter taste in everybody’s mouth. The Bucks truly snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, thanks to issues that have plagued this team consistently throughout the season.

Three Observations​

Doc Rivers made the necessary adjustment.​

I was worried when I saw this post from Jim Owczarski shortly before the starting lineup was announced:

Doc Rivers was asked about being more willing to change matchup/change lineups in a win or go home scenario. Paraphrasing, he effectively said it’s about winning the game - change for the sake of change / quick hooks can lead to losses.

— Jim Owczarski (@jimowczarski.bsky.social) 2025-04-29T21:18:13.840Z

To his credit, Doc Rivers did make big changes, starting AJ Green and Bobby Portis in place of Kyle Kuzma and Brook Lopez. Doc went with the players that were the best performers this postseason and rode with the starters the majority of the game. Kuzma only played 13 minutes, Brook Lopez played eight, Taurean Prince played four, and Jericho Sims played 11. This was the change Bucks fans have begged since Game 1, and it’s fair to wonder if Doc had made these decisions sooner, would the series have gone differently?

Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green’s peaks and valleys.​

With Dame out, Milwaukee would need someone to step up. For 99% of that game, it was Gary Trent Jr. and AJ Green who answered the call. The two combined to shoot 14/27 from three with a total of 52 points scored. AJ Green started hot, and when the Bucks thought they were going to leave Indiana with a win, it was because of GTJ’s 12 points in overtime.

However, things went awry for both Green and Trent Jr. with 40 seconds left in the game, as Green missed his second free throw. After an Andrew Nembhard three, Gary Trent Jr. turned the ball over, which led to Tyrese Haliburton getting an and-one after Green fouled him. The Bucks had a chance to inbound and try to make free throws to ice the game, but another turnover from GTJ eventually led to Haliburton’s game-winner. You feel awful for those two, and GTJ in particular, because those two were the most significant reason the Bucks had a chance. But in the playoffs, the margins are thin, and mistakes have terrible consequences.

The end of an era.​

With the season over, decisions will be made regarding a core of players who have been a part of this Bucks' success. Khris Middleton has already been traded, and Pat Connaughton and Bobby Portis have player options that they will need to decide on in the next few months. Even if both were to opt in, you would have to feel as though Jon Horst will be making an effort to trade both of them in a roster revamp. Brook Lopez will be a free agent this offseason; with his influence waning in the playoffs, along with his age, it may be time for the Bucks and Lopez to part ways. Each of them will be fondly remembered for their contributions, but it seems that this would be the best time to usher in a new core of players to try to give Giannis some hope of a revival.

Final Bonus Bucks Bits​

• The Bucks were up 118-111 with 40 seconds left; they lost the game.
• Giannis had a triple-double tonight, but more impressively, he picked up his fifth foul with 39 seconds left in the fourth and managed to not pick up a sixth.
• The Bucks were up 118-111 with 40 seconds left; they lost the game.
• After the game, Tyrese Haliburton’s father went onto the court and approached Giannis. Words were said, and Giannis had to be held back by players and coaches. Giannis is a better person than I cause I probably would have thrown a punch if I were in Giannis' shoes.

The initial exchange between Giannis Antetokounmpo and John Haliburton from the Bucks postgame broadcast:

— Dime (@dimeuproxx.bsky.social) 2025-04-30T01:54:53.959Z

• The Bucks were up 118-111 with 40 seconds left; they lost the game.
• After the Haliburton situation, Giannis was shaking hands with Pacers players but had another heated situation, this time with Bennedict Mathurin, and had to be separated.

Giannis dapped up the Pacers after the game, but then it got heated between him and Bennedict Mathurin

— Dime (@dimeuproxx.bsky.social) 2025-04-30T01:13:34.129Z

• The Bucks were up 118-111 with 40 seconds left; they lost the game.

Up Next​

An entire offseason to answer some burning questions. How often will Giannis will leave articles be posted? How do you reconstruct the roster? How soon will Doc Rivers be fired? Who is the best head coach option moving forward? Sadly, we will have to remain in a bitter and frustrated state between now and next fall.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/4/30/...yoffs-giannis-antetokounmpo-tyrese-haliburton

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks Reacts Survey: Your thoughts on Giannis’ future

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Will he stay? Should he stay?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Milwaukee Bucks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

With yesterday’s Game 5 potentially deciding the season—which it ultimately did—I thought it best to postpone or cancel this week’s Tuesday Tracker in favor of a more complete, end-of-season edition. There will be plenty of issues for you to weigh in on soon, but we should rip the bandaid off (s/o to our friend Justin Garcia from Locked On Bucks) and take on the question everyone is asking right now: will Giannis stay in Milwaukee? And another, more mystifying question: should Milwaukee keep him?

There is a staggering amount of Bucks fans (or at least I think they’re Bucks fans) arguing that the Bucks should move on from the best player in franchise history. People are emotional right now in the wake of two crushing losses and a third consecutive first-round exit marred by injuries, but it appears there is a split in the fan base. So we’ll put both questions to you...

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/4/30/...rvey-nba-playoffs-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Stop trying to make “Trade Giannis” happen

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

It’s decidedly not fetch.

Stop.

Quit it.

Knock it off.

No, Bucks fans, I’m not talking to you. The Milwaukee Bucks may have self-destructed against the Indiana Pacers, their fourth early playoff exit in as many years. But the franchise is not asking for help to sabotage their long-term future, and they’re certainly not taking roster-building advice from you.

No, Bucks fans, I’m not talking to you.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, at the height of his powers and still putting forth a valid case to be considered one of the best basketball players alive, is still a Milwaukee Buck. And as has been the case for years, as soon as any notable event occurs, the vultures of sports media circle and prepare to gorge themselves on whatever sustenance they can find, regurgitating the same tired premise to satisfy the demand for Content.

No, Bucks fans, I’m not talking to you. I’m talking to the talking heads, the take merchants, the journalistic equivalent of flop artists. You know who they are.

They’re the writers, editors, and content creators who have had these posts saved in a “Drafts” folder for months. They’re the folks who refuse to consider presenting any sort of idea that would require discipline, rigor, and thorough analysis. Maybe those ideas exist, but they don’t please the Almighty Algorithm.

“Trade Giannis,” they say. “The Bucks are at an end, and they have to trade him now, or else.” “The team has nowhere to go, no assets to use, no future worth anything unless they listen to me, a Very Smart Basketball Writer.”

It’s not even annoying anymore; it’s boring. I’m tired of paying any attention to it, especially when it’s such a blatant ploy to attract attention, thus generating ad revenue, thus paying the bills. There’s so little value being added by these articles, and they require so little effort. I’d be insulted if I hadn’t seen so many instances of this since before the pandemic.

Now I’m talking to you, Bucks fans. Don’t fall for it.

These outlets and platforms deliver this content and add it to your timelines specifically to elicit a reaction. Deny them that payoff. Do not re-post it, do not challenge it in the replies, do not click the links... and certainly do not make any purchases from retailers and suppliers who choose to advertise their goods or services there.

It is still going to happen, to be clear. The environment has shifted to the point that journalism is all but required to engage in this sort of attention-grabbing. It’s version 2.0 of the phrase “if it bleeds, it leads” but instead of gruesome stories that are major departures from “the normal world,” the focus is on attracting eyeballs.

So let this futile act of resistance (which is an interruption to my sports-blogging retirement!) stand all the same: the Milwaukee Bucks are not trading Giannis Antetokounmpo until he asks for it. The Milwaukee Bucks should not trade Giannis until he asks for it. It is basketball malpractice to even consider trading the best player in franchise history, outside of his own request. What are we, the Dallas Mavericks?

If the big fella changes his mind, so be it. But we gain nothing from the swill being cast out into the internet in the meantime. So avoid it—your mental health will thank you.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/5/1/24421059/giannis-antetokounmpo-trade-milwaukee-bucks-nba-playoffs

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Game 5 Rapid Recap: Bucks 118, Pacers 119 (OT)

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Bucks lose the series in five games in heartbreaking fashion in overtime

The Milwaukee Bucks, for the third straight year, will be taking an early exit in the NBA Playoffs, losing to the Indiana Pacers for the second year in a row, in a 119-118 overtime heartbreaker. Giannis had his fourth playoff triple-double with 30 points, 20 rebounds, and 13 assists. After a rough first half, Gary Trent Jr. finished the night with 33 points on 8/17 from three and five steals. Tyrese Haliburton finished the night as the Pacers' leading scorer with 26 points and nine assists.

NBA.com Box Score

Game Recap​

After running with the much-maligned starting group that included Kyle Kuzma and Brook Lopez through all four games of the series, Doc Rivers opted to throw in AJ Green and Bobby Portis into the starting lineup next to Giannis, Gary Trent Jr., and Kevin Porter Jr. (in for the injured Damian Lillard). That group came out guns blazing with a 13-0 run in the first four and a half minutes, before Myles Turned finally scored Indy’s first bucket. Despite ending the run, the Bucks' defense continued to bring havoc, clamping down on the Pacers at every turn. After Indy finally got into double figures, Milwaukee scored six of the final eight points to take a 30-13 lead heading into the second quarter. Turner would end up being the leading scorer for the Pacers after one with just five points.

After a Kyle Kuzma three opened up the second frame, the Pacers seemed to find their initial footing, going on an 8-0 run to bring the game within 12. The Bucks were able to regain their 17-point lead, but then entered a scoring drought that lasted almost three minutes, allowing the Pacers to slowly creep back into the game. Two more corner threes were part of a 12-2 Indy run to cut the lead down to just seven points with 3:10 to go in the half. Green’s fourth three of the half stopped the bleeding and got the Bucks back up by 10. The ridiculous corner three-point shooting helped the Pacers once again, as Aaron Nesmith hit one over Green. Overall, the Pacers would end up outscoring the Bucks 28-17 to cut a lead that was as high as 20 down to just six entering the locker room at halftime.

After a couple of early Bucks buckets kept the Pacers down by eight, Indy went on a 9-0 run to take their first lead of the night. 29% regular season three-point shooter Andrew Nembhard hit a 30-foot bomb to give the Pacers a one-point lead, forcing Doc Rivers to call a timeout. The two sides went back and forth with each other for most of the quarter, yet the Bucks would build a four-point lead thanks to a 9-2 run with 5:01 left in the third. Milwaukee would keep Indy at that four-point mark until Bucks playoff killer T.J. McConnell got to work. McConnell scored six of the final eight points for the Pacers, including a layup to give them a two-point lead with 10 seconds left. Bennedict Mathurin fouled Porter with 0.8 seconds left on a three-point shot. He would go 2/3 from the line, setting the stage for a tied game, 75-75, heading into the fourth quarter.

The Pacers came out swinging to start, scoring four straight points on Nesmith and McConnell buckets. McConnell kept giving the Bucks fits, scoring six points in the frame and assisting on a thunderous dunk from Turner. The dunk forced a timeout from Doc Rivers to resettle the troops with the Bucks down by five. It seemed to work, the Bucks going on a 9-0 run to take a four-point lead before Siakam got a wide-open layup to cut the lead back down to two. After Trent started 0/7 from three, he rebounded to go 4/5 in the later part of the third quarter, including some big buckets down the stretch. The Bucks were down by two with the shot clock running out, but Trent nailed a three, followed by a massive three from Green to give the Bucks a four-point lead with a minute and 20 seconds to go. Tyrese Haliburton came up big for the Pacers, scoring four straight points to tie the game with 10.8 seconds left. Giannis was able to get up a fading mid-range jumper, but it hit off the far rim, sending the game to overtime with the game set at 103-103.

It was the GTJ show in overtime, putting him up there with some of the most legendary playoff performances in Bucks history. Trent put up 12 points on 4/4 shooting from the three-point line, including a shot after Nesmith scored five straight points after an Indy timeout. The shot gave the Bucks a four-point lead with 1:08 to go. A Green free throw gave them a seven-point lead with 40 seconds left. Despite playing the hero in the fourth and most of overtime, it was Trent who blew the door open for Indy to come back into the game. He threw a terrible turnover right to Nembhard after he hit a three to cut the lead to four, leading to a three-point play for Haliburton on the other end after being fouled by Green. After the Bucks broke the Pacers' press, Green fired a pass to Trent, but the ball squirted through his hands and out of bounds, giving the Pacers one final chance to win the game. It was the Bucks' ultimate villain in Haliburton, who blew by Giannis to score with one second left. Trent’s last-second heave was way off, and for the third straight year, the Bucks bow out in the first round of the playoffs.

Stat That Stood Out​

There’s only one stat that matters: eight points in 40 seconds. After Green went 1/2 from the free throw line, the Pacers rallied in just 40 seconds to knock the Bucks out of the playoffs for the second straight year.

---

Support our site! | BreakingT | ESPN+ | ESPN+ 30 For 30 | fuboTV | Disney+

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/4/29/...19-ot-giannis-gary-trent-jr-tyrese-haliburton

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks Reacts Survey Results: Few fans think Giannis will ask for trade

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

But some think the Bucks should do it anyway. SMDH

It’s the topic on the tongues of every national media wishcaster, trolling opposing fans, and even well-informed Bucks fans: Giannis Antetokounmpo’s future. We’re not going to wade into the shark-infested waters where everyone and their aunt is proposing trades that don’t even come close to being reasonable because the man has not requested a trade. And early indications after a third-straight first-round defeat are that he remains happy in Milwaukee.

But what do Bucks fans think? Well, it’s a minority of them who are predicting doom-and-gloom at the moment:

I agree with the majority. Giannis isn’t going to abandon Dame and the franchise after what happened, seeing as how he “deeply respects Lillard and was pleased with the progress they made as a duo this season.” While it would be his prerogative to request a trade, it would be antithetical to what he has said for years, including this season. Don’t be gaslit: when people tell Bucks fans it’s “wishful thinking” that Giannis will stay, it’s more accurately wishful thinking that he’ll leave.

The next answer, though, is pretty troublesome:

The fact that 45% of respondents think the Bucks should trade Giannis is frankly embarrassing. What kind of Bucks fan wants the team to do this and send the franchise back to the stone age? They have already lost lots of money paying for a contending roster around him, and imagine how much ticket, merchandise, and advertising revenues would tank without him. No package will equal the impact Giannis will have over the remainder of his contract—his three-year extension signed in October 2023 starts next season—and any draft choices they would get carry no guarantee of landing a new franchise player. As my predecessor Mitchell wrote yesterday, it is basketball malpractice to trade him unless he asks for it.

I get that people are emotional right now after a stinging defeat to a hated rival. But if you legitimately want the Bucks to trade Giannis right now, I question whether or not you’re actually a fan of the Bucks. Sadly, I think a lot of Bucks fans have been drinking the national media Kool-Aid in recent seasons, and the Trade Giannis propaganda has really started to seep into some fans’ minds this year. It’s incredible.

Brought to you by FanDuel.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/5/2/24422597/milwaukee-bucks-reacts-survey-giannis-antetokounmpo-trade

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Bucks vs Pacers: Game 5 Thread

Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Tip-off is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. (Central)

The Milwaukee Bucks will need to win out and survive as they are down 3-1 in the series against the Indiana Pacers. Milwaukee will have to manage this without Damian Lillard who, unfortunately, tore his Achillies in Game 4. Already at rock bottom so nowhere to go but up!

Check out the full preview here, then follow along below on Playback and on Twitter. As always, go Bucks!

How To Watch​

NBA TV and FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin at 5:00 p.m. CDT.

Playback Streaming​

---

---

Support our site! | BreakingT | ESPN+ | ESPN+ 30 For 30 | fuboTV | Disney+

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/4/29/...lineup-tv-schedule-injury-report-nba-playoffs

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Damian Lillard undergoes successful Achilles surgery

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Get well soon, Dame

Milwaukee Bucks guard Damian Lillard underwent successful surgery on Friday to repair a torn left Achilles tendon, the team announced. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles, with consultation from Bucks orthopaedic surgeon Dr. Carole Vetter. Lillard suffered the injury during the first quarter of Game 4 of the 2025 NBA Playoffs vs. Indiana on April 27.

Of course, Dame had returned in Game 2 of that series with Indiana very shortly after being cleared of the deep vain thrombosis in his calf, which had sidelined him for over a month. That lack of preparation was evident in the three games he played before suffering a torn Achilles. Lillard averaged 7.0 points, 4.7 assists, and 2.7 rebounds on 22% shooting from the field and 18% from three.

Nonetheless, Dame wanting to be out there showed Bucks fans how much he cared for the team and wanted to help achieve the ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship. Unfortunately, things went about as badly as they could have gone. For those interested in recovery timetables, injury guru Jeff Stotts had some helpful reporting, which I have included below:

Injury info on Damian Lillard: The average time lost for qualifying NBA players following an Achilles tear is ~10 months. Dame is 54 days older than Kobe was when he tore his Achilles. Bryant was back in action in 240 days (~7.9 months)

— Jeff Stotts (@instreetclothes.bsky.social) 2025-04-28T19:09:26.922Z

The nine-time All-Star’s injury—and the time it takes to recover from it—will undoubtedly impact the Bucks front office’s plans moving forward.

Get well soon, Dame.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/5/4/2...y-milwaukee-bucks-nba-playoffs-indiana-pacers

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Why was Milwaukee’s clutch-time offence so bad this season?

Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images

Diving into the third-worst clutch-time offence in the NBA

One key reason, among many, that Doc Rivers should be fired is the deplorable late-game offence the Milwaukee Bucks ran all season long. The Bucks ranked 28th in offensive rating in the regular season in “clutch time,” which the NBA defines as “the final five minutes of either the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points.” Despite having a perennial MVP candidate in Giannis and an all-time closer in Damian Lillard—whose signature celebration literally symbolises his legacy of being elite in the clutch—the Bucks were woeful. I should acknowledge that, despite the horrible offence, Milwaukee did rank first in clutch-time defensive rating by a decent margin. The players and coaches deserve credit for that. But back to the point: why were they so bad offensively when the score was tight throughout the fourth quarter, and terrible at getting a quality look on the final offensive possession of their games?

Let’s talk about why they were so bad at final-play execution first. It makes sense that Giannis and Dame would have attempted most of the final shots this season. Now, most coaches would draw up a play that utilises the strengths of their best players to generate a good shot for the team. In other words, the stars may take the shot, but it isn’t a predetermined thing; it is based on a read following action. At a minimum, the goal is to generate a somewhat open look from a player attempting a shot they have proven they can make. For example, one of the few times the Bucks did execute well at the end of a game this season was in their first matchup with the Pistons. Without getting too far into the weeds, this play was really quite simple. There were two actions in the entire sequence, but the Bucks executed those actions well and made the defence sweat, generating an open corner three because of it:

However, examples like the one above were few and far between this season. Generally, Doc seemed to have with one golden requirement: give Dame or Giannis the ball and get the [expletive] out of the way. I mean, you tell me if I’m off on that:

Now look, I mostly dislike every one of these attempts because the defence didn’t have to do much, you know, defending (yes, even the one that went in, although at least there was some off-ball stuff happening there). But whatever, let’s posit that this is the quality of shot you’ll live with, wouldn’t you want to make sure the person shooting is... a good shooter!? I can at least understand if the only player who took these types of shots was Dame. But Giannis? Not for me. Some may disagree with that point, referencing Antetokounmpo’s improved mid-range numbers this season. He still shot a career-low from the free-throw line and has not been an efficient shooter across his career. Has he gotten better? Absolutely. I’m still not using that logic to justify him taking that shot in that moment. And even if Dame isn’t playing (which he wasn’t for a few of the above examples), you have dynamic shooters like AJ Green to utilise; KPJ has proven he is capable of pick-and-roll playmaking; Gary Trent made nine triples in a playoff game! But no, the shot you end up with is a Durant jumper over two guys from the worst shooter on the floor. Not good!

Now, I think it’s worth asking whose fault it is that Giannis takes these shots: his or Doc’s? To be honest, GA takes some… unintelligent shots, shall we say. But ultimately, it is the coach’s responsibility to make players execute their vision. Hypothetically speaking, let’s say that it’s Antetokounmpo saying it must be him taking the last shot. I highly doubt that would be the case, but let’s assume. Shouldn’t it be on the coach who was reportedly hired because of his ability to have “gravitas” with stars to fix it? The coach who, if you thought you could count on him for one (!) thing, would be able to convince star players to listen to him? Regardless of who is behind it, Rivers is paid all the money to drive this car, so take control and drive it! And if Doc does not have the bandwidth for Xs and Os, then he should swallow his pride and delegate end-of-game play designs to an assistant. For what it’s worth, I believe this is precisely what Rick Carlisle does; and we as Bucks fans know all too well how successful that strategy has been.

Doc has been asked a few times about Giannis’ shot selection at the end of games, and his only tepid criticism has been that he wanted the shot to go up as time expired. That’s really it. He said that following the Heat game I showed above, which was presumably why Antetokounmpo waited so long to get into an action in Game 5 against the Pacers. To my knowledge, he has never said anything like, “we could have gotten a better shot than that.” A large part of the criticism of Rivers in Philadelphia was that he is less of a coach and more of what you might call a “star enabler.” I assume he believes the key to winning is putting the ball in his best players’ hands and that’s it. Whatever decision the stars make is up to them, and everyone must live with the results. I’m sorry, but the game has evolved far past that being a viable strategy.

As for the rest of the time in the clutch that wasn’t at the very end of games, what I saw as the main issue was that opposing teams would increase their physicality, and Milwaukee couldn’t match. Personally, I had always felt like the Bucks generated offence more on immense talent than they did execution, which gets harder when the other team increases its level of focus. I hesitate to call the Bucks “soft” because that word often carries unintended connotations, but they were soft in an on-court sense. Here’s a theoretical example of what I’m talking about: Giannis goes to set a screen for Dame and his defender is “jamming” him, meaning they are getting into his legs and pushing Antetokounmpo higher and higher up the floor as he tries to stop and set the screen. Giannis doesn’t get low enough to win that positioning war. Thus, the screen is ineffective and way too high, and Lillard can’t get a good look. Here’s another example: Dame runs up to receive a dribble handoff (DHO) but doesn’t do his work early by creating body contact with his defender, who promptly blows up the DHO and steals the ball.

Zooming out, this lack of physicality also redounds back to coaching. Who tuned into the Rockets’ NBA Playoffs series against the Warriors? I mean, I was exhausted just watching Golden State try to score on that defence. The Rockets are a pack of bulldogs, man. They might struggle to score, but gosh darn, they give you nothing on the other end. Their attention to detail is phenomenal. Ime Udoka has clearly instilled a culture that says, “if you don’t play defence, you’ll be riding the bench.” For example, since he became the coach there, Udoka has had zero problems benching Jalen Green down the stretch of games if he wasn’t doing his job. Frankly, you can apply this thinking to all the best defensive teams. Yes, the Bucks don’t necessarily have the same personnel as the Rockets, but I am more referring to a culture of accountability that has clearly not been built. The coach is the headman for that, and for all of the nice things you could say about Doc, having accountability is certainly not one of them.

Whatever happens this offseason, one thing is clear: hiring a new head coach should be at the top of the agenda. And if past reporting is to be believed, please, (certain) owners and (certain) players, let Jon Horst hire his preferred coach this time. I beg you.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/5/7/2...e-giannis-damian-lillard-head-coach-jon-horst

 

[Milwaukee Bucks]

Does Giannis truly want out? And should he want out?

Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

What do the current rumors say about Giannis’ current feelings about the Bucks and his long-term future?

Here we sit after the third straight first-round loss for the Milwaukee Bucks, with questions swirling among the national talking heads about where Giannis should go and that the Bucks need to trade Giannis away. While I understand their need to fill airtime and talk about a very hot-button topic, we need to know if there’s any smoke to what they say, and if there isn’t, should the former two-time MVP ask for a trade out of the Cream City?

What are the insiders saying?​

At this stage, every insider in the book is saying that Giannis is staying, and a trade would only arise if Giannis were the one who would push for it. The first domino started the day after the Bucks' first-round loss to the Indiana Pacers, where ESPN’s Jamal Collier reported that Giannis “respects Damian Lillard” and remains happy in Milwaukee. That same day, on ESPN during an episode of NBA Today, in a discussion about the Bucks, Brian Windhorst reported that there has been zero speculation about his future. Windhorst went on to say the following:

“He’s worked very hard and so has his representation to shut down anything. He has been completely focused on the Bucks. So therefore this is basically a bit of a mystery. It might be a mystery within the organization a little bit. It’s definitely a mystery for other teams out there. Whether he would want to get moved and who would potentially be on a list of interested teams.”

Marc Stein followed up on Friday when he joined the All-NBA Podcast, saying that the only way the Bucks would trade the franchise star would be if his camp went to the Bucks and requested a trade. He does acknowledge that maybe they should do something to restock for the future, but as of now, there are no rumblings of that happening:

“I don’t think Giannis himself does not want to go to the Bucks and say ‘trade me’. But next year there’s no way with Damian Lillard carrying a salary of nearly $60 million, they don’t have control of their own first round pick till 2031, they don’t have a pathway to build a contender around him at this point. But the rumbles that you always hear are that just having Giannis is so important to them financially. They’re not going to trade him unless he pushes it.”

He goes on to say that the entire league is just waiting to see what Giannis and his side end up deciding to do:

“The whole league is on edge waiting to see will Giannis’ representatives go to the Bucks and say, ‘it’s time. Move us, hold the auction, and start over.’ I don’t think the Bucks want to do that. You could make the case that they should want to do that, that they should say, ‘Let’s go out and get the largest haul we can get back for Giannis’, but I don’t think the Bucks are there. We’re going to see where Giannis is.”

Shams Charania of ESPN reported on April 30 that Giannis and the Bucks will go through the standard exit interview to discuss his future and the plans for the team. We have not heard how that interview went or even whether it took place, but if Giannis truly does want to leave, we’ll know. Yet everything that has come out shows that Giannis is focused on the Bucks and winning the franchise their third title in team history.

The big one: Should Giannis ask out?​

While the reporting is pointing to Giannis staying in Milwaukee, and that's great, there are bigger questions at hand here: should he ask out, and should the Bucks trade him even if he doesn't?

Let’s start with the first question, which is a hard thing to gauge at this point. There is no doubt that the Bucks have done almost everything they can to build a championship contender around Giannis since his ascension to one of the top players in the league. Acquiring Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis, P.J. Tucker, Pat Connaughton, Grayson Allen, among others. Then, acquiring Damian Lillard to put another dynamic offensive weapon next to Giannis to push themselves back to championship contender after a second-round loss to the Boston Celtics in 2022, and a first-round loss to the Miami Heat in 2023.

There have been missteps along the way, as is the case with any GM at any time. Drafting DJ Wilson over OG Annunoby, trading Donte DiVincenzo for Serge Ibaka, trading Khris Middleton and AJ Johnson for Kyle Kuzma, and trading five second-round picks for Jae Crowder. Even with all those hits and misses, there is no doubt that GM Jon Horst will do whatever it takes to get the most out of Giannis and this core.

While that is a definite pro, let's take a look at the current core of players heading into the offseason. Lillard will be out anywhere from December at the earliest (more likely February or March), Kyle Kuzma is on the roster, there are currently eight pending free agents, including Brook Lopez, Gary Trent Jr., Jericho Sims, and Ryan Rollins (RFA). Portis, Connaughton, and Kevin Porter Jr. have player options. Who knows how many of these players will return, and some of the uncertainty may scare off players like Trent for a more stable situation.

For Giannis, it may seem like the right time to get him to a new team to start with a more concrete situation. Continue your legacy, knowing you will be loved in Milwaukee forever. Yet that doesn’t seem like anything Giannis would do. He has stated over and over again that he doesn’t want to be traded, and he’d never go to a team and tell them, “trade me.” He said in his post-game press conference after the loss to the Pacers that he desperately wanted to win the series for Dame. Does that sound like someone who would walk out on him and the Bucks as a whole?

There was much hoopla made over a comment he made where Collier asked him if he could still win a title in Milwaukee after three-straight first-round exits, basically saying he didn’t know. What people might have missed is that Giannis started his answer by saying that whatever he says is going to be translated a certain way, which people are doing anyway. He was avoiding the question not because he doesn’t believe he can win a title here, but because he doesn’t want whatever he says to be taken out of context and blasted around the league and on social media.

Giannis is going to be one of the few players who stay with one franchise his entire career, much like Dirk and Kobe did. Both of those franchise icons were circulated in trade rumors, and Kobe himself was almost a Dallas Maverick and a Chicago Bull based on some reporting. Giannis is of that build, and I see him finishing his historic career in hunter green.

Should the Bucks trade Giannis even if he doesn’t ask? ​

Short answer: No. Never in your life do you trade a top-three player in the league unless he demands it. I mentioned earlier how, with half the active roster being pending free agents, it might make sense for Giannis to depart; there is a world where, from the front office, it makes sense to start fresh. Clean the slate, trade Dame in the 26–27 season where he’ll have that year on a player option left, clear that contract, and build around what you get from the Giannis trade. There are some intriguing options, much like The Athletic put forward, with sending Giannis to Houston or Toronto for a bevy of young players and draft picks.

These do look enticing on paper, but it would be organizational malpractice to trade a star of Giannis’ caliber while he is still in his prime. No one said it would be easy to re-tool a contender with Lillard out most of next season and a ton of free agents with little cap flexibility, but you make it work as best you can. Find a trade partner for Kyle Kuzma and get two usable role players, or package him with Bobby, Pat (assuming they both pick up their player options), and either the 2031 or 2032 picks to get a disgruntled star. Maybe you swipe Kristaps Porzingis from the Celtics, with them rumored to be looking to cut costs after this season.

Outside of the basketball reasons, Giannis has helped the Bucks become an extremely valuable franchise, with Jimmy Haslem paying for his share on a $4 billion valuation when he purchased the team in 2023. I doubt the Haslem family would approve a trade for the franchise's biggest attraction and money earner just two years into his tenure as owner.

Any way you slice it, from almost any perspective. Giannis is going to be a Milwaukee Buck for the foreseeable future. Now the true work begins of not just building a title-contending team around him, but a team at this point that can get out of the first round, which they haven't done in four seasons. Yet, as the old saying goes, nothing great comes easy, nothing amazing comes without hard work.

Source: https://www.brewhoop.com/2025/5/6/2...e-milwaukee-bucks-damian-lillard-nba-playoffs