NBA insider's update on Giannis Antetokounmpo's injury has Bucks' 2nd round Playoffs chances in jeopardy

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s status is still in doubt. NBA Insider Shams Charania reported that the Milwaukee Bucks star is still in doubt about starting Game 1 of the first-round series against the Indiana Pacers. Antetokounmpo suffered a calf strain in the final week of the season. He has not received clearance to play yet.

Antetokounmpo has continued rehabbing. Charania reported that the Greek Freak has conducted some on-court work as part of his rehab process. However, he could miss extended time.

“I am told this injury could be anywhere from two to four weeks (out). We know his superhuman ability but that clearly puts his status for this series in jeopardy,” Charania said.

Giannis Antetokounmpo has already dealt with Achilles tendinitis this season. He also missed time with a hamstring injury earlier this year. The Bucks will be cautious about bringing him back too early.

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The Bucks aim for a championship and they'll need Giannis Antetokounmpo to achieve it.

Can the Bucks win their first round series without Giannis Antetokounmpo?

The Bucks will face an uphill battle if they are to beat the Indiana Pacers without their MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Pacers are a feisty tough team with some size up front.

These two teams traded intense matchups throughout the season, creating some bad blood. The Pacers will not back down to the favored Bucks and will be eager to jump on the opportunity if Antetokounmpo is out.

The Bucks are 4-5 without Antetokounmpo this season. Four of those five losses were to playoff teams.

The Pacers dominated the season series 4-1. Antetokounmpo played in all five games. The Bucks struggled to slow down one of the top offenses in the league. The Pacers scored at least 120 points in every game. The Bucks' defense figures to be even more porous without Antetokounmpo defending the basket.

However, the last matchup between these two teams came on January 3. The Pacers and their star Tyrese Haliburton have dipped off their electric offensive pace from earlier this season. The Bucks' defense has also seen some slight improvement.

The Bucks will rely on the outside scoring of Damian Lillard to keep pace in this series without Antetokounmpo. They will also need Bobby Portis Jr. to keep up his late production as a key contributor to make up for the loss of Antetokounmpo.

Portis was in contention for his sixth man of the year this season due to his off-the-bench production. He finished the season strong, averaging 17.5 points per game in April, which included the final eight games of the season. Milwaukee was 2-6 in that span, which may not bode well for their playoff hopes if they need to rely on Portis.