The Milwaukee Bucks are coming off a tough 4-2 second-round series loss to the Indiana Pacers. Milwaukee did not have Giannis Antetokounmpo or Damian Lillard due to nagging lower leg injuries. To make matters worse, Giannis’ brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo has been hit with a shocking Achilles injury after the Bucks’ postseason run.
Forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo has sustained a torn Achilles tendon and will undergo surgery, Shams Charania reports. Antetokounmpo did not see much time on the floor during the Pacers series or the regular season, yet, his injury is devastating. Hopefully, he will have a speedy and efficient recovery process.
Thanasis Antetokounmpo appeared in 34 regular season games for the Bucks and only played 4.6 minutes per contest. Antetokounmpo’s on-the-court production is not eye-popping, but he offers great support to his younger brother Giannis and the rest of the Bucks squad.
Giannis Antetokounmpo had big plans for the Bucks in the 2024 NBA Playoffs, but a late regular season calf strain prevented him from playing. Antetokounmpo was playing some of the best basketball of his career in 2023-24. The 29-year-old averaged 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, 6.5 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.1 blocks.
Unfortunately, the NBA world did not get to see what the star forward could do in the postseason with Damian Lillard. The Portland Trail Blazers traded Lillard to Milwaukee shortly before the start of the regular season. As a result, the Bucks’ championship odds increased. However, things did not come to fruition in 2024.
Lillard suffered an Achilles injury that caused him to miss some of the Pacers series. Before that, he achieved stout regular-season production. Lillard averaged 24.4 points, 7.0 assists, and 4.4 rebounds per game.
Ironically, Lillard and the Antetokounmpo brothers all suffered serious lower leg ailments. Hopefully, everyone can recover during the offseason and come back ready to reload in 2024-25.
