Last night might have been the best closing to a rather entertaining series. The Indiana Pacers defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in an overtime thriller, 119-118. The Pacers won in 5, therefore advancing them to the second round where they will face the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers. From the amount of intensity and physicality, you would think that the series would have gone to 7. Unfortunately, despite the excellent performances of Giannis Antetokounmpo, his supporting cast was not able to match the production when it mattered.
The Bucks actually were giving the Pacers the business, even being in the lead at certain points of the game. Gary Trent Jr.’s streakiness and trash talking ended up backfiring as in the final moments, he caught a case of butterfingers when Kevin Porter Jr.’s pass somehow went past his hands. This head-scratching turnover was sandwiched in between the clutch plays of Andrew Nembhard and Tyrese Haliburton. The latter hitting the layup game winner that would make the Bucks’ efforts obsolete. A sad turnaround for a team who was still fighting even after Dame’s absence.
As rumors of Giannis leaving are becoming increasingly more likely, the actual problem is not him — but more so the future. The Bucks’ supporting cast is respectfully old. Players like Brook Lopez (37), Bobby Portis (30), Pat Connaughton (32), Taurean Prince (31), and the aforementioned Damian (34) are getting up there in age. This leads to more injuries and fatigue when this is your starting lineup. Hell, even some of the younger players such as Ryan Rollins (22) and AJ Green (25) are there but they feel underutilized. I understand the Bucks want to win now but in order to do that, they need a healthy mix of veterans and youth. Gary Trent Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. are not going to cut it, too streaky and inconsistent to have. Plus, the addition of Kyle Kuzma — simply going backwards.
The worst part, the Bucks traded all their draft capital away. Since general manager Jon Horst took over in 2017, the team’s 25 trades in his reign have cost them: seven first-round picks, three years of pick swaps and 18 second-rounders. The most recent trade was for Kyle Kuzma, Feb. 7, in which the Bucks traded Khris Middleton, A.J. Johnson and a first-round swap to acquire the forward. What’s even sadder is that a player like A.J. Johnson would be the perfect complement to Giannis and his playoff chances. The 6-foot-5 shooting guard who’s considered similar to Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has a wide wingspan, a shifty handle and an ability to create shots from anywhere on the court. Although young, he shows tremendous potential and could be an All-Star if everything aligns.
These injuries are unfortunate, and the Bucks don’t have a first-round pick until 2031. A long journey ahead for the organization that dreamed of giving the Greek Freak a second championship. And sadly, it appears that he might be out of there based on his recent comments of him discussing with the organization about his future. So, whether he becomes a Los Angeles Laker or Chicago Bull, it will continue to sting considering that the Bucks don’t have the assets to prepare for the dark future ahead.
