As the Milwaukee Bucks look to make their season bigger Tuesday against the Miami Heat, they will have to do so by would-be MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium reported that the star ahead ruled the fifth game of the East Conference semi-finals.
The 25-year-old was limited to 11 minutes in the Bucks’ fourth win due to a sprained ankle.
Giannis Antetokounmpo injured his ankle and after making two loose pitches, left the field. Https://t. co/CUNpWnrVKH
Things seemed bleak for Milwaukee when Giannis left on Sunday in the last quarter, but the team stayed to win in overtime. For that to happen again, the Bucks will probably want massive functionality from Khris Middleton, who had 36 points. 8 rebounds and 8 assists in Game 4.
No one will be under more pressure than head coach Mike Budenholzer. The Bucks were 116-39 in the regular season with him at the helm, but he did not seem able to make the mandatory changes in the playoffs.
Budenholzer will have to expand a game plan on Tuesday that would possibly not revolve around his most productive player, which would possibly not be simple as the Bucks have largely built their list with Antetokounmpo in mind.
If the Bucks recover in Game 5, Antetokounmpo’s absence would possibly not be enough to buy Budenholzer’s season in Milwaukee after what would be a bitterly disappointing end of the year.