Weekly Bucks Lookback: Milwaukee Bucks looking for answers as Giannis injures back

1. The Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks lose to the Miami Heat in Game 3

After cruising to the league’s best record and the top seed in the Eastern Conference Playoffs, the Milwaukee Bucks now find themselves with their backs firmly against the wall against a resilient and relentless Miami Heat squad. This comes after the Bucks lost Game 3, 121-99, at the Kaseya Center, with Jimmy Butler not even playing his usual workload and still coming up with an efficient 30 points.

Make that a 2-1 series lead ☑️ pic.twitter.com/6qJTkn0pGi
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) April 23, 2023

2. NBA players vote Giannis Antetokounmpo as the best player to build around

In an anonymous poll, The Athletic asked active NBA players who they would build a franchise around. The majority of the respondents answered it would be the Milwaukee Bucks’ superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who they believe possesses the ideal blend of talent and demeanor to build a team around.

3. Tyler Herro regrets diving for a loose ball in Game 1 against the Milwaukee Bucks

Hindsight is 20/20, and Miami Heat guard, Tyler Herro, knows that very well. After diving for a loose ball in Game 1 of the first-round series against the Bucks and breaking his hand, Herro now admits he should not have taken such a risk, given the magnitude of the game. The Milwaukee native is now out for at least 4-6 weeks after undergoing surgery to repair the injured hand.

Heat guard Tyler Herro seemed to suffer a hand injury after diving for a loose ball.

Herro appeared to be in a lot of pain but stayed in the game to finish the half 😬pic.twitter.com/GvZ6nzDzXO
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) April 16, 2023

4. Giannis Antetokounmpo plays just 11 minutes in Game 1 after suffering back contusion

Injuries happen all the time in the NBA. Unfortunately for the Bucks, Giannis’ injury came at the most inopportune time. The Greek Freak suffered a lower back contusion after he landed hard on a drive to the basket in Game 1. He was limited to just 11 minutes in that game and has missed the last two games of the series.

5. Memphis Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr. beats out Milwaukee Bucks center Brook Lopez for the Defensive Player of the Year award

Bucks center Brook Lopez settled for second place in the race for the Defensive Player of the Year award. He was edged out by Grizzlies big man Jaren Jackson Jr., who took home the honor for his stellar work on the defensive end of the floor. Lopez has certainly been a force to be reckoned with defensively this season, but Jackson’s ability to consistently make an impact on that end of the floor was too much for Lopez to overcome.