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Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined for the sixth consecutive game on Saturday, the Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated from playoff contention. The Bucks needed a win to save their season, but they were no match against the San Antonio Spurs.
The Spurs dominated from start to finish to earn an easy 127-95 win at home. They never trailed in the game and were up by as many as 38 points. Victor Wembanyama had 23 points, 15 rebounds and six assists in 30 minutes, while Stephon Castle dropped a triple-double of 22 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists.
Meanwhile, six players scored in double figures for the Bucks, but they were no match against the Spurs. Gary Trent Jr. had a team-high 18 points on 11 shots, while Myles Turner provided 15 points, six rebounds and two blocks.
According to ESPN, the Bucks were officially eliminated from playoff contention after their embarrassing loss. Their nine-straight postseason appearances were the second-longest streak in the league, just behind the Boston Celtics‘ 11.
Giannis Drops Message After Bucks’ Quest For Playoffs Ends
In a post on Instagram, Giannis shared a couple of images of himself during a workout. It’s in partnership with David Beckham’s IM8 Health Essentials. The Greek Freak seemingly delivered a message to his critics and naysayers amid one of the most difficult seasons of his career.
“Prayin on my downfall don’t make you religious,” Antetokounmpo wrote.
The two-time NBA MVP has only played in 36 games this season due to a variety of injuries. It will be the least amount of games he has ever played in a season in his career.
He’s averaging 27.6 points, 9.8 rebounds and 5.4 assists. It’s going to be his lowest scoring average since the 2017-18 season.
Bucks and Giannis Not Clear About Season Shutdown
GettyMILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – APRIL 16: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks is injured during Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round Playoffs against the Miami Heat at Fiserv Forum on April 16, 2023 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Giannis is currently dealing with a bone bruise and hyperextension of his left knee. He has no clear recovery timeline, with the Bucks reportedly wanting to shut him down for the rest of the season.
However, the superstar forward is not interested in sitting if he’s healthy, even though there are only nine games left in the regular season. With the Bucks out of playoff contention, the franchise has no incentive for risking further injury to its greatest player ever.
Due to both sides not agreeing on what to do for the rest of the season, the NBPA intervened and dropped a shocking statement:
“The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,” the union said in its statement via ESPN’s Shams Charania.
The players’ union called out the enforcement of the NBA’s player participation policy and the lack of anti-tanking policies. They are looking forward to a proposal from the league regarding its plans to counter what some franchises are doing to have a chance of getting a top draft pick.
Juan Paolo David Juan Paolo David is a sports journalist covering basketball for Heavy. He has a decade of experience writing about the NBA and WWE. He’s currently based in the Philippines. More about Juan Paolo David
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