Things just haven’t been the same for the Milwaukee Bucks without their superstar, but it looks as though Giannis Antetokounmpo will suit up and play in Game 4 on Monday night.
He was originally injured during Game 1, when he came down hard on his tailbone after being suspended in the air. It was a hard impact, and caused Giannis to exit the game. He played just 11 minutes and scored 6 points, and the heavily-favored Bucks dropped the first game of the series against the Miami Heat.
Giannis Will Play, Bucks Now Heavy Favorites
Sources: Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo will return to the lineup in Game 4 vs. Heat tonight barring any setbacks. Antetokounmpo missed Games 2 and 3 with a lower back contusion.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 24, 2023
The diagnosis was not great. It was classified as a back injury, and the MVP candidate’s immediate status for the upcoming games was a huge question mark. Giannis would wind up missing both Games 2 and 3 as he recovered.
Milwaukee didn’t skip much of a beat in their first contest without him, as they rolled in Game 2. Things were different as the series switched to Miami for Game 3 on Saturday evening. The Bucks struggled to find a rhythm all game long, and didn’t have an answer for Jimmy Butler and company. The Heat held the Bucks to just 99 points, and were able to take a 2-1 series lead with yet another game to play in South Florida.
It was looking like trouble for the Bucks. They were the most dominant team in the entire league all season, finishing with the top record in the NBA, and entered the playoffs as the favorites to win it all. But they’d need Giannis Antetokounmpo if they had hopes of maintaining their success.
Return Of MVP Candidate Comes Just In Time
Luckily for them, it looks as though he will in fact play in Game 4. And the sports books have adjusted accordingly.
Bucks go from 3-pt favorites to 7-pt favorites @FDSportsbook 👀 https://t.co/Bqtjk2SE7Z
— br_betting (@br_betting) April 24, 2023
Depsite their tough times in Game 3, the Bucks were still road favorites for tonight’s game, and were listed at -3 when the day started. But the return and presence of such an important player is worth a big points swing, and the line has shot all the way up to -7 and -7.5 at some outlets.
To say that it is a big game for the Bucks is an understatement. Going down 3-1 in the playoffs makes for tough sledding in attempting a comeback, and Milwaukee didn’t quite show the poise that they’d need if they were to be without Giannis for an extended period.
Game 4 will tip off tonight at 7:30pm Eastern.
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