The Milwaukee Bucks made NBA history in Game 5 against the Indiana Pacers in their first-round series of the 2024 NBA Playoffs. They became the first team to ever win a playoff game with their top two scorers in the regular season being sidelined.
It was an impressive feat for Milwaukee, who were without Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard for a second straight game. In Game 4, the result was an ugly 126-113 loss, which put them in a 3-1 hole.
They cut their series deficit in half with a dominant 115-92 victory in Game 5. Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis led the way with 29 points apiece, with each also recording a double-double. The entire starting five scored in double-figures as Milwaukee kept their season alive for at least one more game.
Heading back to Indiana for Game 6, attention will now turn to the status of Antetokounmpo and Lillard. An update provided by Bucks head coach Doc Rivers has to excite fans, as the tandem could be back in the mix on Thursday night.
“I think they’re very, very, very close,” Rivers said. Both players are expected to go through a workout on Wednesday to see how they are progressing in their recoveries. Antetokounmpo is recovering from a calf injury suffered on April 9th, while Lillard is dealing with an Achilles issue.
The Greek Freak did not do much on the court Tuesday before the game but was running on the court for the first time since his injury on Sunday. Lillard shed the walking boot he had been in over the weekend and did some shooting work before Tuesday’s victory.
Wednesday will be pivotal in seeing the chances either of them have in playing on Thursday night. Given how little work Antetokounmpo has done to this point, he feels to be further away than Lillard from returning to the court. But, with the season on the line, you can be sure both players will do everything in their power to get out there and help the Bucks get a win.
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