MILWAUKEE (AP) 鈥� As he discusses his excitement about finally being healthy for the start of a postseason run, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo compares himself to a certain action movie star.
鈥淚 love playing in, how can I say, pressure, stressful situations,鈥� Antetokounmpo said this week as the Bucks prepare to open the playoffs Saturday at Indiana. 鈥淚鈥檓 like Tom Cruise. Have you ever seen the movies, the Tom Cruise movies that he does all the stunts? I think he gets an adrenaline rush. I love being there again.鈥�
After missing all of Milwaukee鈥檚 postseason run last year and part of it the year before 鈥� with his absence leading to 鈥� Antetokounmpo is back to lead the Bucks as he pursues his second career title.
If it鈥檚 not quite a mission impossible, it certainly seems improbable.
The Bucks are expected to open the playoffs without seven-time all-NBA guard who has been out for the last month with in his right calf. The Bucks are seeded fifth in the Eastern Conference, their lowest playoff position since 2018. BetMGM Sportsbook gives the Bucks only a 37% chance of even getting past their first-round series with the fourth-seeded Pacers.
Yet the Bucks believe they can compete with anyone as long as Antetokounmpo is available. They remember how much the two-time MVP's absence was felt last year in their to Indiana.
鈥淟et鈥檚 be honest,鈥� Bucks coach Doc Rivers said. 鈥淭ake the best player off of every team and it hurts them. Take one of the best players of our generation off your team, it鈥檚 going to crush you. It鈥檚 just nice having him on the floor.鈥�
Antetokounmpo, 30, missed last year鈥檚 Indiana series after in the 79th game of the regular season. A year earlier, he in the first quarter of Milwaukee鈥檚 opening playoff game against Miami and didn鈥檛 return to action until Game 4 of a series the top-seeded
At the end of last season, Antetokounmpo said he鈥檇 have to his offseason program or make other adaptations to assure he鈥檇 stay healthy for the playoffs. He now enters the playoffs in peak form after leading Milwaukee to an to close the regular season.
鈥淚 made a lot of adjustments 鈥� that I鈥檒l keep private 鈥� but luck definitely plays a role, too,鈥� Antetokounmpo said. 鈥淵ou can be unlucky. Going down three games, or six games, I don鈥檛 even remember, before the playoffs last year, that鈥檚 being unlucky. But yeah, I think we made a lot of adjustments, me and my team, and I鈥檓 here today, so I鈥檓 happy.鈥�
The last time Antetokounmpo played in an entire playoff series, he had 33.9 points, 14.7 rebounds and 7.1 assists per game in the Bucks鈥� to Boston in 2022. He became the to collect 200 points, 100 rebounds and 50 assists in a single playoff series.
A year before that, Antetokounmpo missed the final two games of the with a but came back to earn honors and score 50 points in a Game 6 victory over the Phoenix Suns.
Now he鈥檚 back and leading a
Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez, Bobby Portis and Pat Connaughton are the only players remaining from Milwaukee鈥檚 2021 championship team. acquired at the trade deadline, was on the Los Angeles Lakers鈥� 2020 championship team but last made the playoffs in 2021. Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins, whose roles expanded due to Lilllard's health issues, have never played in a postseason game.
Lillard's absence has resulted in more ball-handling responsibilities for Antetokounmpo, who has been playing particularly well even by his lofty standards.
The 6-11 forward ended the regular season ranked second in scoring (30.4), sixth in rebounding (11.9) and 13th in assists (6.5). Antetokounmpo is the only player ever to average 30 points while shooting at least 60% from the floor, and he鈥檚 done that each of the last two seasons.
In the six games he鈥檚 played this month, Antetokounmpo has averaged 31.8 points, 12 rebounds and 11.8 assists while recording four triple-doubles.
鈥淒uring this period where Dame has been out, he鈥檚 been seeing consistent double teams, so he鈥檚 just continued to evolve as a great player,鈥� Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 mixing in the assist, the laser passes, the skip passes cross-court which are very difficult to deal with when you鈥檙e double-teaming him, and his shooting has gotten better and better.鈥�
Now he gets a chance to try carrying that over to the postseason, a stage he missed dearly last year.
鈥淲atching the game on the bench is not fun,鈥� Antetokounmpo said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not fun. Maybe in 20 years, I can put on a polo or a suit 鈥� I don鈥檛 know what the coaches wear 鈥� and watch it from the bench. But now I鈥檓 just happy that I鈥檓 out there and I鈥檓 in the heat of the battle and I鈥檓 able to get my hands dirty and help my team win.鈥�
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AP Sports Writer Michael Marot contributed to this report.
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AP NBA:
Steve Megargee, The Associated Press
