Why is Giannis Antetokounmpo not playing against Pelicans tonight? Bucks star's absence from crucial game explored (April 6)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is reported to be out of action in their game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Milwaukee Bucks have five games remaining in their regular season. They've already secured the fifth seed in the upcoming 2025 NBA Playoffs and are expected to face the Indiana Pacers in the first round.
Having that in mind, Antetokounmpo should use the remaining games to recover from his injury. Bucks coach Doc Rivers said Giannis is out against the Pelicans due to an injured shoulder. The Greek Freak hurt his left shoulder tendinopathy and it seems that Milwaukee doesn't want to risk making his condition worse, especially with the playoffs on the horizon.
According to the injury reports, it seems that Giannis Antetokounmpo will likely make his return on Tuesday, against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Sources never mentioned the severity of his injury, which could mean that it isn’t as bad as everyone might think. Hopefully, if Giannis does end up playing against the Wolves, his injury wouldn’t worsen before the postseason.
Giannis Antetokounmpo looks ready for 2025 NBA Playoffs
Despite the slow start to their season, the Milwaukee Bucks have clinched the fifth seed for the upcoming 2025 NBA Playoffs. While their placement may not be as high as it once was compared to previous seasons, Giannis Antetokounmpo managed to make things work in the final stretch of the 2024-25 regular season.
This was a tall order to accomplish by Antetokounmpo, considering how his co-star, Damian Lillard, is out of action due to a deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. There is uncertainty to whether or not Lillard can make his return in the playoffs, which means Giannis could likely take most of the load during their postseason run.
However, it seems that the Greek Freak is more than ready to restore Milwaukee’s glory by himself. Before sitting out their game against the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday, Giannis Antetokounmpo had back-to-back triple-double outings. The first was against the Philadelphia 76ers last Thursday, wherein he put up 35 points, 20 assists and 17 rebounds.
Then in his previous game against the Miami Heat on Saturday, Antetokounmpo added 36 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
Having all that in mind, Giannis Antetokounmpo looks to be ready for the 2025 NBA Playoffs and will be put to the test against the Indiana Pacers in the first round.