The Milwaukee Bucks will close out the 2023-24 regular season without their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. The decision comes after Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury in a 104-91 win over the Boston Celtics earlier this week.

Antetokounmpo went down in the third quarter of the Celtics game. He was running up the floor when he suddenly fell and grabbed his calf. The Bucks initially feared that he might have injured his Achilles, which would end his season completely, but an MRI showed that it was only a calf strain.

“Antetokounmpo underwent an MRI last night that confirmed the diagnosis of a left soleus (calf) strain. He will miss the remaining three games of the regular season and receive daily treatment and evaluation,” the Bucks said in an update.

The Bucks are currently sitting second in the Eastern Conference with a 49-31 record but still need to win at least one of their two remaining games to lock the spot with the third-place New York Knicks breathing down their neck.

It now remains to be seen whether Antetokounmpo recovers in time to be available for the start of the postseason. The Bucks are scheduled to play Game 1 on April 20 or April 21, but players usually miss between one and two weeks with similar injuries.

Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, and a career-high 6.5 assists per game this season.

The post Bucks Rule Out Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo for Remainder of Regular Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

50 years after winning their first NBA title, the Milwaukee Bucks are NBA Champions once again. The Bucks secured the Larry O’Brien trophy on Tuesday night with a memorable 105-98 Game 6 win over the Phoenix Suns.

Milwaukee’s journey to the NBA title wasn’t an easy one. They had to overcome a 0-2 deficit against the Brooklyn Nets in the East semis even to get a chance to play in the NBA Finals. Then, they found themselves in the same situation versus the Suns. At that point, Phoenix was an overwhelming favorite to win it all, but the Bucks were not willing to give up.

The Bucks tightened their defense, made the necessary adjustments, and banged out two wins at their home arena to even the series. This momentum carried Milwaukee to a Game 5 win in Phoenix and allowed them to get the job done in front of their fans.

The Milwaukee Bucks became the fifth team in NBA history to erase a 0-2 deficit and win the title.

The Bucks closed out the series thanks to an epic performance by their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who dropped 50 points and 14 boards en route to winning the NBA Finals MVP award. All-Star Kris Middleton added 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while forward Bobby Portis had a strong contribution from the bench with 16 points.

“For the city, I’m sure it means everything,” said Middleton. “They’ve seen the work that we put in over the years for them to get to this point.”

All-Star point guard Chris Paul had 26 points for the Phoenix Suns but didn’t get much help from his teammates. Devin Booker turned the ball over six times and managed 19 points, well below his average in the series, while DeAndre Ayton finished the contest with 12 points and just six boards.

The post Milwaukee Bucks Win Their First NBA Title Since 1971 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks exited the playoffs earlier than expected, but that didn’t stop him from getting recognition for an impressive regular season. The NBA announced on Friday that Antetokounmpo was voted as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in the 2019/20 season.

This is the second consecutive MVP award for Antetokounmpo as he took home the trophy in 2018/19 as well. He joins the rare company of 11 players who won back-to-back MVPs, including the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James came second in the MVP voting, while Houston Rockets’ James Harden was third.

Antetokounmpo previously also won the Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming only the third player after Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon to receive MVP and DPOY honors in the same year.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had an impressive regular season from an individual standpoint, averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. But more importantly, Antetokounmpo was a moving force for the Bucks as the team finished the regular season with the league-best 56 – 17 record. 

Unfortunately for Antetokounmpo, he and the Bucks couldn’t translate their dominance to the postseason. The 25-year-old Greek superstar battled injuries and inconsistency as Milwaukee was handed a swift second-round exit by Miami Heat.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo Wins His Second Consecutive NBA MVP Award appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been known for keeping a tight budget in order to avoid paying luxury tax in recent years, but the franchise is reportedly ready to change course after a disappointing playoff elimination last week. 

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Bucks recently had a meeting with their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and told him that they are willing to spend in the future in order to surround him with a championship-able supporting cast. As part of the meeting, the two sides discussed several ways on how to improve the team, and are expected to talk again in the near future.

Bucks’ willingness to pay luxury tax isn’t just motivated by the recent playoff exit but also the fact that Antetokounmpo is entering the final year of his deal. If Milwaukee doesn’t lock him to a long-term deal soon, the reigning MVP can become an unrestricted free agent in 2021 and leave somewhere else.

Bucks will offer Giannis Antetokounmpo a supermax extension in the next couple of weeks, which would see him earn up to $250 million over the five years. However, it is unclear whether the 25-year-old forward is going to accept it considering his NBA title ambitions and inability to get there with Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Bucks have been the league’s best regular-season team in the past two seasons but failed to make it count when it mattered the most. During the 2018/19 season, Buck got to Eastern Conference Finals, where they were eliminated in six games by the eventual champions Toronto Raptors.

This year, the Bucks didn’t even make it that far, as they were stopped in semi-finals by Miami Heat. Their exit was even faster, as they were routed 4-1 by the Heat.

The post Bucks Tell Giannis Antetokounmpo They Are Ready to Spend in the Future appeared first on SportzBonanza.

While U.S. basketball players were never too passionate about World Cups and international competitions, their counterparts from other countries tend to take a different approach. The latest example for this is Milwaukee Bucks’ All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Although almost all big stars refused to play for Team USA on this year’s FIBAWorld Cup in China, Antetokounmpo gladly accepted the chance to play with Greece on this competition.

“I always feel something special when playing for the national team,” – Antetokounmpo told FIBA’s official site. “When you are starting the tournament and listening to the national anthem, the emotions can’t be described. After the first basket, the first plays, it is an amazing experience and every time I feel as proud as the first time. The feeling of winning with the national team is incredible, and I have said before that I will always be part of the team, as long as I am healthy like this summer.”

And not only that, but the 24-year-old forward would be even willing to trade his 2019 NBA MVP award if that meant winning the gold medal on the tournament with Greece.

“I would exchange the MVP title for the gold medal in China,” – he added.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo on their roster, Greece has established itself as one of the favorites for winning a medal on the tournament. This is especially a likely scenario given the fact that the United States is coming to the World Cup with one of their weakest rosters in decades.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo Would Trade MVP Title for World Cup Gold appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmo has been playing phenomenally this season and is regularly drawing praise from both current and former NBA players. Now Antetokounmpo’s excellence caught the attention of San Antonio Spurs’ legend David Robinson as well.

Robinson discussed Antetokounmpo during his recent chat with Omnisport and shared that he is marveled by the 24-year-old’s performances, calling him a “beast” and comparing him to Los Angeles Lakers’ legend Magic Johnson.

“His growth has been phenomenal,” – said Robinson. “I see a lot of the things that I had to learn that he’s doing. Physically he’s getting stronger, he’s just grown into this beast now, and it’s so much fun to watch him play, to see such a big guy handle a ball like that, really be able to make the passes and lead the offense, he’s kind of a Magic Johnson-ish kind of guy but with even more of a post presence.”

One of the reasons David Robinson admires Giannis Antetokounmpo is probably because their games are very similar. Antetokounmpo is a dominant presence on both defensive and offensive side while being an astonishing athlete, just like Robinson during his best days.

After leading the Bucks to the best record in the NBA during the regular season, Antetokounmpo continued with great games in the postseason and propelled Milwaukee to Western Conference Finals. He is currently averaging 27.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.

The post Spurs’ Legend David Robinson Says Giannis Antetokounmpo is a “Beast” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Milwaukee Bucks’ All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing a career season this year, leading his team to the best record in the NBA and being a favorite for NBA MVP award. Antetokounmpo ‘s performances didn’t go unnoticed by one of basketball’s greats Shaquille O’Neal, who recently treated the Greek with some significant praise.

During his appearance on “The Big Podcast,” O’Neal said that he believes Antetokounmpo is better than he was at the age 24.

“He’s better because he has more opportunity to showcase more,” – O’Neal explained. “I was a post player, and the only thing I was allowed to showcase was my domination. He’s running the floor. I did that early, [but] I stopped doing that because I stopped getting the ball when I ran the floor, so I turned into a half-court dominant player.”

It isn’t an easy task comparing Shaquille O’Neal and Giannis Antetokounmpo considering the fact that they have played different positions and in different eras of basketball. Also, O’Neal immediately became one of the league’s stars while Antetokounmpo really set off in his third season.

When he was 24, O’Neal was in his fourth season in the league and was on average of 26.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.76 blocks per game. Antetokounmpo, on the other hand, is currently on 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists thanks to slower start of his career.

While Antetokounmpo might catch up Shaq’s numbers if he continues to play this way, there is a real doubt whether he will manage to catch him in other aspects of the game.

O’Neal was considered one of the most dominant players in basketball of all time and had an illustrious career which includes four NBA championships, 15 All-Star appearances, All-NBA First Team honors and one MVP award.

The post Shaquille O’Neal Says Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo is Better Than He Was at 24 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Milwaukee Bucks lost Game 5 of the first round series against the Boston Celtics, and are now facing elimination ahead of Game 6, trailing 2-3. Bucks’ star player Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t about to let that happen and vowed that he will be “more aggressive” in the Thursday’s game.

“It’s on me,”- said Antetokounmpo. “As I said, I had open shots, but they wasn’t my shots, so I didn’t feel comfortable to take them. I think my teammates did a great job finding me, but come the next game, in Game 6, I got to be more aggressive, make more plays because definitely my teammates need me.“

Giannis Antetokounmpo only attempted 10 shots in Game 5 and ended with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. He scored five field goals and had only two drives to the basket. For comparison, Antetokounmpo averaged 27.5 points and 17.5 shot attempts in the first four games of the series.

Milwaukee Bucks interim coach Joe Prunty acknowledged that his team’s success depends on the production of their best player and intends to find better-shot opportunities for Antetokounmpo in Game 6.

“We all have to take responsibility in that — finding different spots to put him in,” Bucks interim head coach Joe Prunty said. “I think Giannis is one of the most aggressive drivers in the game, trying to get downhill. I think he gets bodied quite a bit. What I’m concerned about [is] how much they’re pushing. I want him to keep attacking regardless of how physical the game may be. But in the grand scheme of things, I would just say it’s on all of us. I’ve got to help find him better opportunities for shots. We have to make sure he’s getting the ball, but I want to make sure for us we got a quality possession every time. We’ve got multiple guys that are capable of knocking shots down. I don’t want it to turn into, ‘Hey, we have to do this for Giannis.’“

The post Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Has to Be “More Aggressive” in Game 6 against the Celtics appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Milwaukee Bucks will close out the 2023-24 regular season without their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo. The decision comes after Antetokounmpo suffered a calf injury in a 104-91 win over the Boston Celtics earlier this week.

Antetokounmpo went down in the third quarter of the Celtics game. He was running up the floor when he suddenly fell and grabbed his calf. The Bucks initially feared that he might have injured his Achilles, which would end his season completely, but an MRI showed that it was only a calf strain.

“Antetokounmpo underwent an MRI last night that confirmed the diagnosis of a left soleus (calf) strain. He will miss the remaining three games of the regular season and receive daily treatment and evaluation,” the Bucks said in an update.

The Bucks are currently sitting second in the Eastern Conference with a 49-31 record but still need to win at least one of their two remaining games to lock the spot with the third-place New York Knicks breathing down their neck.

It now remains to be seen whether Antetokounmpo recovers in time to be available for the start of the postseason. The Bucks are scheduled to play Game 1 on April 20 or April 21, but players usually miss between one and two weeks with similar injuries.

Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.4 points, 11.5 rebounds, and a career-high 6.5 assists per game this season.

The post Bucks Rule Out Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo for Remainder of Regular Season appeared first on SportzBonanza.

50 years after winning their first NBA title, the Milwaukee Bucks are NBA Champions once again. The Bucks secured the Larry O’Brien trophy on Tuesday night with a memorable 105-98 Game 6 win over the Phoenix Suns.

Milwaukee’s journey to the NBA title wasn’t an easy one. They had to overcome a 0-2 deficit against the Brooklyn Nets in the East semis even to get a chance to play in the NBA Finals. Then, they found themselves in the same situation versus the Suns. At that point, Phoenix was an overwhelming favorite to win it all, but the Bucks were not willing to give up.

The Bucks tightened their defense, made the necessary adjustments, and banged out two wins at their home arena to even the series. This momentum carried Milwaukee to a Game 5 win in Phoenix and allowed them to get the job done in front of their fans.

The Milwaukee Bucks became the fifth team in NBA history to erase a 0-2 deficit and win the title.

The Bucks closed out the series thanks to an epic performance by their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, who dropped 50 points and 14 boards en route to winning the NBA Finals MVP award. All-Star Kris Middleton added 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while forward Bobby Portis had a strong contribution from the bench with 16 points.

“For the city, I’m sure it means everything,” said Middleton. “They’ve seen the work that we put in over the years for them to get to this point.”

All-Star point guard Chris Paul had 26 points for the Phoenix Suns but didn’t get much help from his teammates. Devin Booker turned the ball over six times and managed 19 points, well below his average in the series, while DeAndre Ayton finished the contest with 12 points and just six boards.

The post Milwaukee Bucks Win Their First NBA Title Since 1971 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Giannis Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee Bucks exited the playoffs earlier than expected, but that didn’t stop him from getting recognition for an impressive regular season. The NBA announced on Friday that Antetokounmpo was voted as the NBA’s Most Valuable Player in the 2019/20 season.

This is the second consecutive MVP award for Antetokounmpo as he took home the trophy in 2018/19 as well. He joins the rare company of 11 players who won back-to-back MVPs, including the likes of Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, LeBron James, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Los Angeles Lakers’ LeBron James came second in the MVP voting, while Houston Rockets’ James Harden was third.

Antetokounmpo previously also won the Defensive Player of the Year award, becoming only the third player after Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon to receive MVP and DPOY honors in the same year.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had an impressive regular season from an individual standpoint, averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game. But more importantly, Antetokounmpo was a moving force for the Bucks as the team finished the regular season with the league-best 56 – 17 record. 

Unfortunately for Antetokounmpo, he and the Bucks couldn’t translate their dominance to the postseason. The 25-year-old Greek superstar battled injuries and inconsistency as Milwaukee was handed a swift second-round exit by Miami Heat.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo Wins His Second Consecutive NBA MVP Award appeared first on SportzBonanza.

The Milwaukee Bucks have been known for keeping a tight budget in order to avoid paying luxury tax in recent years, but the franchise is reportedly ready to change course after a disappointing playoff elimination last week. 

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Bucks recently had a meeting with their superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and told him that they are willing to spend in the future in order to surround him with a championship-able supporting cast. As part of the meeting, the two sides discussed several ways on how to improve the team, and are expected to talk again in the near future.

Bucks’ willingness to pay luxury tax isn’t just motivated by the recent playoff exit but also the fact that Antetokounmpo is entering the final year of his deal. If Milwaukee doesn’t lock him to a long-term deal soon, the reigning MVP can become an unrestricted free agent in 2021 and leave somewhere else.

Bucks will offer Giannis Antetokounmpo a supermax extension in the next couple of weeks, which would see him earn up to $250 million over the five years. However, it is unclear whether the 25-year-old forward is going to accept it considering his NBA title ambitions and inability to get there with Milwaukee.

Milwaukee Bucks have been the league’s best regular-season team in the past two seasons but failed to make it count when it mattered the most. During the 2018/19 season, Buck got to Eastern Conference Finals, where they were eliminated in six games by the eventual champions Toronto Raptors.

This year, the Bucks didn’t even make it that far, as they were stopped in semi-finals by Miami Heat. Their exit was even faster, as they were routed 4-1 by the Heat.

The post Bucks Tell Giannis Antetokounmpo They Are Ready to Spend in the Future appeared first on SportzBonanza.

While U.S. basketball players were never too passionate about World Cups and international competitions, their counterparts from other countries tend to take a different approach. The latest example for this is Milwaukee Bucks’ All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Although almost all big stars refused to play for Team USA on this year’s FIBAWorld Cup in China, Antetokounmpo gladly accepted the chance to play with Greece on this competition.

“I always feel something special when playing for the national team,” – Antetokounmpo told FIBA’s official site. “When you are starting the tournament and listening to the national anthem, the emotions can’t be described. After the first basket, the first plays, it is an amazing experience and every time I feel as proud as the first time. The feeling of winning with the national team is incredible, and I have said before that I will always be part of the team, as long as I am healthy like this summer.”

And not only that, but the 24-year-old forward would be even willing to trade his 2019 NBA MVP award if that meant winning the gold medal on the tournament with Greece.

“I would exchange the MVP title for the gold medal in China,” – he added.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo on their roster, Greece has established itself as one of the favorites for winning a medal on the tournament. This is especially a likely scenario given the fact that the United States is coming to the World Cup with one of their weakest rosters in decades.

The post Giannis Antetokounmpo Would Trade MVP Title for World Cup Gold appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Milwaukee Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmo has been playing phenomenally this season and is regularly drawing praise from both current and former NBA players. Now Antetokounmpo’s excellence caught the attention of San Antonio Spurs’ legend David Robinson as well.

Robinson discussed Antetokounmpo during his recent chat with Omnisport and shared that he is marveled by the 24-year-old’s performances, calling him a “beast” and comparing him to Los Angeles Lakers’ legend Magic Johnson.

“His growth has been phenomenal,” – said Robinson. “I see a lot of the things that I had to learn that he’s doing. Physically he’s getting stronger, he’s just grown into this beast now, and it’s so much fun to watch him play, to see such a big guy handle a ball like that, really be able to make the passes and lead the offense, he’s kind of a Magic Johnson-ish kind of guy but with even more of a post presence.”

One of the reasons David Robinson admires Giannis Antetokounmpo is probably because their games are very similar. Antetokounmpo is a dominant presence on both defensive and offensive side while being an astonishing athlete, just like Robinson during his best days.

After leading the Bucks to the best record in the NBA during the regular season, Antetokounmpo continued with great games in the postseason and propelled Milwaukee to Western Conference Finals. He is currently averaging 27.1 points, 11.7 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.7 blocks per game.

The post Spurs’ Legend David Robinson Says Giannis Antetokounmpo is a “Beast” appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Milwaukee Bucks’ All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing a career season this year, leading his team to the best record in the NBA and being a favorite for NBA MVP award. Antetokounmpo ‘s performances didn’t go unnoticed by one of basketball’s greats Shaquille O’Neal, who recently treated the Greek with some significant praise.

During his appearance on “The Big Podcast,” O’Neal said that he believes Antetokounmpo is better than he was at the age 24.

“He’s better because he has more opportunity to showcase more,” – O’Neal explained. “I was a post player, and the only thing I was allowed to showcase was my domination. He’s running the floor. I did that early, [but] I stopped doing that because I stopped getting the ball when I ran the floor, so I turned into a half-court dominant player.”

It isn’t an easy task comparing Shaquille O’Neal and Giannis Antetokounmpo considering the fact that they have played different positions and in different eras of basketball. Also, O’Neal immediately became one of the league’s stars while Antetokounmpo really set off in his third season.

When he was 24, O’Neal was in his fourth season in the league and was on average of 26.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 2.76 blocks per game. Antetokounmpo, on the other hand, is currently on 18.7 points, 8.3 rebounds and 4.1 assists thanks to slower start of his career.

While Antetokounmpo might catch up Shaq’s numbers if he continues to play this way, there is a real doubt whether he will manage to catch him in other aspects of the game.

O’Neal was considered one of the most dominant players in basketball of all time and had an illustrious career which includes four NBA championships, 15 All-Star appearances, All-NBA First Team honors and one MVP award.

The post Shaquille O’Neal Says Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo is Better Than He Was at 24 appeared first on SportzBonanza.

Milwaukee Bucks lost Game 5 of the first round series against the Boston Celtics, and are now facing elimination ahead of Game 6, trailing 2-3. Bucks’ star player Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t about to let that happen and vowed that he will be “more aggressive” in the Thursday’s game.

“It’s on me,”- said Antetokounmpo. “As I said, I had open shots, but they wasn’t my shots, so I didn’t feel comfortable to take them. I think my teammates did a great job finding me, but come the next game, in Game 6, I got to be more aggressive, make more plays because definitely my teammates need me.“

Giannis Antetokounmpo only attempted 10 shots in Game 5 and ended with 16 points, 10 rebounds, and 9 assists. He scored five field goals and had only two drives to the basket. For comparison, Antetokounmpo averaged 27.5 points and 17.5 shot attempts in the first four games of the series.

Milwaukee Bucks interim coach Joe Prunty acknowledged that his team’s success depends on the production of their best player and intends to find better-shot opportunities for Antetokounmpo in Game 6.

“We all have to take responsibility in that — finding different spots to put him in,” Bucks interim head coach Joe Prunty said. “I think Giannis is one of the most aggressive drivers in the game, trying to get downhill. I think he gets bodied quite a bit. What I’m concerned about [is] how much they’re pushing. I want him to keep attacking regardless of how physical the game may be. But in the grand scheme of things, I would just say it’s on all of us. I’ve got to help find him better opportunities for shots. We have to make sure he’s getting the ball, but I want to make sure for us we got a quality possession every time. We’ve got multiple guys that are capable of knocking shots down. I don’t want it to turn into, ‘Hey, we have to do this for Giannis.’“

The post Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo Says He Has to Be “More Aggressive” in Game 6 against the Celtics appeared first on SportzBonanza.