Is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing today against Chicago Bulls? Latest injury update from Bucks (October 8)
The Giannis Antetokounmpo-Damian Lillard era in Milwaukee begins on Oct. 8 as the Bucks open their 2023-24 NBA preseason campaign against the Chicago Bulls in their home court of Fiserv Forum. Both are set to play, but since it’s a preseason game, they're expected to see limited time.
Milwaukee is coming off a disappointing playoff run last season, getting booted out in the opening round by the eighth-seeds and eventual Eastern Conference champions Miami Heat, 4-1. The Bucks were eliminated despite having the best record in the NBA last year at 58-24.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had a solid campaign in the 2022-23 NBA season, finishing with averages of 31.1 points (career-high), 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists in 63 games played. He ended third in the voting for league most valuable player.
Following their unceremonious exit in the playoff, ‘The Greek Freak’ is raring to redeem himself with help from Lillard, who the team recently acquired in a three-team deal involving the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns.
The game against the Bulls is the first of five scheduled preseason games for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. They play the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 10, then the Los Angeles Lakers (Oct.15), Oklahoma City Thunder (Oct. 17) and Grizzlies once again (Oct. 20).
Milwaukee begins its regular season campaign on Oct. 26 at home against reigning league MVP Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.
NBA veteran praises Giannis Antetokounmpo for go-getting mindset
Giannis Antetokounmpo has prided himself in consistently pushing for his goals. Such a tack has led him to greater heights as a player while also taking the Milwaukee Bucks along with him.
It's this quality that NBA veteran Eddie Johnson said that makes the “Greek Freak” stand out and a special player.
In a recent interview with SiriusXM NBA Radio pposted on Twitter, the now-64-year-old Johnson highlighted how the go-getting mindset of Antetokounmpo has done wonders not only for his career but also for the team he plays for:
“He’s not settling for anything. And he’s sending a message not only to his teammates but also to the front office as well that I’m not satisfied…”
He added:
“(Giannis) has some desperation going on, and I love the fact that he does.”
Check out the audio post below:
Giannis Antetokounmpo was selected 15th overall in the 2013 NBA rookie draft. In his first seven seasons he steadily improved on his scoring output. In his eighth year in the league, in 2021 he led the Bucks to their first NBA championship in 50 years.
He has won back-to-back NBA most valuable player awards (2019 and 2020), an NBA Finals MVP (2021) and an NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2020), and is a seven-time NBA All-Star, among other individual accolades.
This season, Antetokounmpo is gunning for another solid run in tandem with NBA superstar Damian Lillard.