When you wish to walk past a nightmare, it comes back to haunt you even more. Last season: first round series, the Pacers knocked the Bucks, and this time around, they opened game 1 from where they left it last year, only to make it 2-0 at the end of game 2. But in a West-dominated drama, we can’t underestimate the ties in the East right now. Reason? Magic lived up to their name against the Celtics of all teams, and the Pistons-Knicks tie seems to be going the distance. But from the shadows came the most dead-even tie of the conference- Bucks vs Pacers. While the first two games went Indy’s way, the Cream City pulled it back with a masterful Game 3, winning out 117-101. To be fair, you can’t count a team out when they have Giannis Antetokounmpo as the spearhead. Reminder, only till he is on the court.
He obviously dominated in Game 3- at this point, that line goes without saying. It says a lot when you’re coming third in a two-horse race for the MVP. But their dependency on him might cost them later in the playoffs- he’s still human, as much as the Freak proves that notion wrong again and again. And on that note, let’s see his team’s injury situation for Game 4.
Bucks’ injury report ahead of Pacers Game 4
The teams have settled into playoff mode- we can finally see their true potential. And when it comes to living up to that sentiment, boy, has Giannis not lived up to it. 3 playoff games- 3 double-doubles, 3 30+ point games, and shooting a ridiculous 70% from the field on average. But none of those numbers matter, other than the 2 on Indy’s side and the 1 on Milwaukee’s. Their dependency on Greek has been evident, which could take a toll on him. But that’s not the case tonight, as Giannis is fit to play in Game 4. But even the most dependent player needs a back support, and for him it is Damian Lillard.
A deep vein thrombosis takes 3-6 months to heal on average. But Damian Lillard didn’t even let science get in his way of making a playoff appearance for the Bucks this year. It’s not even been 6 weeks since he was announced to be out indefinitely. But fast forward to the scenes ahead of Game 4, and Notre Dame is set to run riot. He’s fit to play tonight, too.
Oct 14, 2024; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) and guard Damian Lillard (0) look on in the second quarter against the Chicago Bulls at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images
But that’s as far as their greens go on the injury list. The one and only red comes in the form of Tyler Smith, who’s questionable for Game 4. Smith is in danger of missing his fourth straight game Sunday due to a left ankle sprain. But to be fair, his game time this season has been limited. So this injury is unlikely to make a dent in Doc Rivers’ drawing board tactics for the clash at the Fiserv.
Bucks’ expected lineup vs Pacers Game 4
It’s been a while since the Bucks have seen an injury report without Giannis Antetokounmpo. You can almost hear all 577,385 people in Milwaukee breathe a collective sigh of relief. They’ll need every bit of his 30.4/11.9/6.5 statline that they can get. Their home court advantage is non-existent after this. They’d ideally be looking to the same squad that got them their first playoff win this season. Let’s see what that team looked like:
Point Guard
Damian Lillard
Shooting Guard
Gary Trent Jr.
Small Forward
Kyle Kuzma
Power Forward
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Center
Brook Lopez
Their win would’ve given Doc a huge boost of confidence in his team. Despite Giannis’ double-double, Trent Jr. stole the show with his own 37/3 performance. So, will the Bucks manage to dead-even the tie, or will the Pacers be heading into game 5 with a 3-1 lead?
The post Are Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard Playing Tonight in Bucks vs. Pacers Game 4? Exploring Injury Report for Stars’ Status appeared first on EssentiallySports.