A much-needed silver lining for Milwaukee Bucks fans: Giannis Antetokounmpo will be active and ready to go for Sunday’s pivotal Game 4 against the Indiana Pacers.
Milwaukee Bucks Injury Report Heading Into Game 4
As of the April 26 injury report, Milwaukee had only one player listed — forward Tyler Smith, who remains questionable — while Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Game 3 riser Gary Trent Jr. were all cleared for action.
With the Bucks trailing the series 2-1 against Tyrese Haliburton and the young Pacers team, the return and health of their roster are crucial.
Game 3 was a glimmer of hope for the Milwaukee faithful. Following back-to-back losses in Indiana, the Bucks finally seemed to steady the ship and found a semblance of stability with a 117-101 win on their home floor.
Leading the victory charge were Antetokounmpo and Trent, each dropping 37 points, marking the first time in Bucks history that two players scored 35+ points in the same playoff game.
Antetokounmpo continues to operate at a superhuman level, averaging well over 30 points per game while shooting astonishingly efficient percentages. His dominance on the court has been the only real constant for the Bucks in this series.
Part of the struggle stems from an overwhelmingly underwhelming amount of support around the Greek Freak.
Damian Lillard, expected to be Antetokounmpo’s co-star in the playoffs, has yet to find his signature postseason rhythm. In this series (Games 2 and 3), Lillard is averaging just 10.5 points, six assists, and three rebounds in 34.5 minutes — far from the offensive firepower that Milwaukee had hoped he would contribute when they acquired the All-Star.
Lillard’s struggles, combined with uninspiring performances from role players like Kyle Kuzma, have made Antetokounmpo’s efforts all the more critical to the team’s survival.
As the Bucks head into a Game 4 matchup that could very well determine their postseason livelihoods, their performance will depend on which member of the Milwaukee supporting cast will rise to the occasion.
While Trent played Robin to Antetokounmpo’s Batman in Game 3 and ensured the Bucks a victory, a 37-point performance from the former is an anomaly.
As Game 4 tip-off approaches, the mission for the Bucks remains simple — maintain the energy and aggressiveness that fueled their Game 3 victory and hope that someone (anyone) can relieve some of the enormous pressure and burden placed on Antetokounmpo.
Nevertheless, if the Bucks want to even the series before heading back to Indiana, they’ll need another dominant outing from their former MVP. Luckily, Antetokounmpo has shown that he is more than ready to answer that call.
Whether it’s finally “Dame Time,” however, remains to be seen.
