Live look at Bucks fans this morning waiting for the results of an MRI:
Well, it goes without saying (but we’ll say it anyway) that if Giannis is down for a long period of time, it is devastating for this year’s team and the franchise overall.
And I’ve honestly been pleasantly surprised by the squad so far this season. I know Saturday at home against the Lakers was a turd after winning a very entertaining NBA Cup game in overtime against the Hornets on Friday night. But coming out of that loss the team was still sitting at 8-6 heading into last night. Last year through 14 games they were 5-9.
Ryan Rollins has blossomed in the absence of Kevin Porter, Myles Turner is shooting a career best from 3, and Kyle Kuzma has actually been a net positive on both ends of the floor! That’s a sentence I did not expect to type or say at any point this season. But Giannis is playing at an MVP level, and at the end of the day, he’s everything to this team. He’s the gravity, he’s the rosebud. And if he is down for a substantial period of time, the season is essentially over, even in a watered down, wide open Eastern Conference.
A moment of optimism: Giannis has showcased Reggie White healing powers before. When his knee bent in the wrong direction in Atlanta during the ECF in 2021, we all thought the title run was done, and that his 2022 was likely over as well. He was back on the floor 8 days later for Game 1 of the Finals. If this is on the low end (I would still think 2-ish weeks), maybe you can navigate that timeframe and keep your head above water until he comes back. But if we’re talking multiple months, it’s hard to fathom how this team remains relevant without him. And in a season that feels like a “1-year trial” with this roster for Giannis, it’s double pain.
PS: Shams is responsible for this somehow, I’m not sure how, but I’ll figure it out.
Double PS: If you’re a Bucks diehard, I’m sure you’ve noticed the calls against Giannis and the Bucks have been HORRIFICALLY bad this season. The Bucks get whistled for breathing, meanwhile Giannis is getting DDT-ed on drives to the hoop and nothing gets called. This has led to a conspiracy theory among Bucks fans that the NBA is trying to frustrate Giannis out of Milwaukee by not giving him or his teammates a decent whistle. Typically I laugh at things like that, “Ha!” I say, “Ha!” But this one? I’m in.
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