The Milwaukee Bucks will not compete in the NBA playoffs for the first time in 10 years after they crashed out of contention on Saturday night.
Without star man Giannis Antetokounmpo on the court, his teammates were put to the sword by the impressive Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs.
With 23 points and 15 rebounds from their remarkable French prodigy, the Spurs ran away in the fourth quarter to win 127-95 as they cemented their status as championship contenders.
But it was heartbreak for the Bucks and their coach Doc Rivers, who saw their streak of making the playoffs end. They have now lost nine of their last 11 games.
The Bucks have competed in the postseason every year since 2015-16. In that time they won one NBA championship – in 2020-21 when they overcame the Phoenix Suns 4-2 in the Finals.
However, in the past three seasons they have been eliminated in the first round and their 29-44 record this time around shows big changes could be coming for the franchise.
The Milwaukee Bucks will not compete in the NBA playoffs for the first time in 10 years
They crashed out of contention on Saturday night after losing to Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs
Star man Giannis Antetokounmpo sat out of another game as he battles a knee injury
Doc Rivers’ team has made the playoffs every season since they missed out in 2015-16
Their chances have not been helped by a left knee injury to Antetokounmpo, which has kept him out of their last six games. Rivers said Wednesday that the 10-time All-Star is ‘progressing, he’s just not healthy.’
Antetokounmpo’s status has been tied to the debate over tanking and the player participation policy.
The National Basketball Players Association on Tuesday issued a statement that appeared to call out the Bucks. The statement followed reports that Antetokounmpo wants to return.
‘The Player Participation Policy was designed by the league to hold teams accountable and ensure that when an All-Star like Giannis Antetokounmpo is healthy and ready to play, he is on the court,’ the union said in a statement.
‘Unfortunately, anti-tanking policies are only as effective as their enforcement; fans, broadcast partners, and the integrity of the game itself will continue to suffer as long as ownership goes unchecked.’
Rivers was clear before Wednesday night’s game against the Portland Trail Blazers that Antetokounmpo was not being held out. The two-time NBA MVP hurt his knee in the third quarter of a game against the Pacers on March 15.
