Can Giannis Antetokounmpo carry the Bucks to the playoffs?

If you were to ask him, Giannis Antetokounmpo would tell you that the Milwaukee Bucks can make a playoff push despite having just 22 games left on their schedule and trailing the Charlotte Hornets by 3.5 games for the final play-in berth. After a five-week absence, the Bucks star finally laced up his Nikes again last night, returning to the lineup against one of the toughest possible welcome-back opponents: the Boston Celtics. Antetokounmpo dropped 19 points and 11 rebounds, which looks impressive on the box score, however it was far from enough as the Celtics ran away with a 108-81 blowout victory.  Not exactly the triumphant comeback anyone in Milwaukee was hoping for.

This has been a brutally frustrating season for the Bucks and Antetokounmpo. Not only have they had to deal with a revamped roster, but the right calf strain that shelved their All-NBA forward since January 23rd was actually his second calf issue of the season, limiting him to just 31 games. 

Add in the off-court drama at the trade deadline as to whether he will remain in Milwaukee or not, and all of the injuries the team has dealt with, and one could easily see the Bucks and Antetokounmpo just call it a day and look forward to the draft.  That’s not really in Antetokounmpo’s DNA. While he has stated he wants to play for a winning franchise, he publicly committed to the Bucks, stating he would not request a trade and declaring himself fully committed to the team, the coaching staff, and the city. 

The Bucks currently sit 11th in the East, behind the Hornets for the final play-in spot.  With Charlotte going 7-3 in their last ten games, claiming that final spot might be a tough mountain to climb. With a pair of games against both the Utah Jazz and Brooklyn Nets, and ten more games against teams with losing records, the Bucks need to go on a run. However, considering that they have only twice won three straight this season, that run might be far-fetched, especially with Antetokounmpo on a minutes restriction for his first few games.

Optimistic fans believe that a fully healthy Greek Freak is enough to change the direction of the Bucks, even if the math isn’t in their favor. If Antetokounmpo can quickly channel the MVP-level he showed earlier this season, it would be wrong to count Milwaukee out, but the line between a play-in berth and a trip to the lottery is very thin as the season comes to a close.