Bucks Zone

“You’re not going to replace Giannis!” - The Milwaukee Bucks are not using Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence as an excuse for Game 1 loss

The Bucks aren't making any excuses for their Game 1 loss.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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Not having Giannis Antetokounmpo for all but 11 minutes of Game 1 hurt the Milwaukee Bucks, but they’re not going to use that untimely incident as an excuse for their 130-117 loss to the scorching-hot Miami Heat in Game 1 of the first round of the NBA Playoffs.

Giannis is irreplaceable

The Greek Freak exited Game 1 not long after falling hard on his back late in the first quarter. Although the Bucks made several rallies to bridge the gap, the Heat kept their composure and finished the Bucks off behind the spectacular play of Jimmy Butler. Afterward, Bucks wingman Wesley Matthews said there’s just no replacing a superstar of Giannis’s caliber, but they still have to do their jobs, regardless of the latter’s availability.

“You’re not going to replace Giannis,” said Matthews. “But the gift and the curse of the NBA season is it is 82 games; not everybody is going to play every game. We played a lot of games without Giannis in the lineup. We’re not using that as an excuse.”

Although tests done on Giannis’ lower back yielded positive results, Giannis remains questionable for Game 2 as he still feels soreness around the injured area. The Bucks, though, have done well this season whenever Giannis was on the sidelines, compiling an 11-8 record.

Next man up

Without Giannis, the Bucks still have plenty of weapons in their arsenal to keep the team afloat. All-Star guard Jrue Holiday knows they all have to embrace that next-man-up mentality should Giannis need to miss a game or two in this series.

"We don't want him to be hurt, but it's still next man up mentality,” said Holiday. “We have enough talent on this team to cover for him until he comes back or possibly comes back.”

Grayson Allen, the Bucks’ wingman who returned to the lineup in Game 1 after getting sidelined before the regular season ended due to a sprained ankle, said they’re aware of Giannis’ importance to the squad, but they’re also ready to make adjustments if he’s not ready to return just yet.

“It’s tough,” said Allen. “We play differently with him in the game. We’re a better team with him in the game. But in terms of game-plan wise, we’ve played without multiple guys all year. I don’t think it was a crazy adjustment.”

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.