The Milwaukee Bucks, the three-seed in the Eastern Conference, are a game away from being eliminated from the playoffs. With the series going back to Milwaukee on Tuesday, what happened to this powerhouse to get them to this point?
The Bucks have been without their star Giannis Antetokounmpo for the entire series up to this point. Without him, the team looks vastly different, as missing a six-foot-eleven power forward tends to be a big difference.
To make matters worse, in game four today, the Bucks were without star point guard Damian Lillard. Lillard has been shouldering most of the load in the absence of Giannis, and without him, the series is just about over.
Pairing these injuries, with the stellar play of the Indiana Pacers, it looks like the Bucks are on their way to a first-round exit. This comes just three years after the Bucks went all the way to winning a championship in 2021.
Now I have no intentions of taking anything from the Pacers, as even with a healthy team the Bucks would have their hands full. But without their two key players, this series might have just ended today.
Looking on to the next round, if the Celtics pull through their series against the Heat, the Pacers will head to Boston to take on the one-seed in the East.
