The Milwaukee Bucks have finally started to figure things out. After a rough start to the Doc Rivers era, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. have turned their season around recently. They have won 5 straight games since returning from the All-Star break and improved to a 40-21 record. The Bucks look to continue their hot streak as they face the Los Angeles Clippers tonight. Unfortunately, their winning streak might be in trouble as Giannis Antetokounmpo has been ruled out of tonight’s game in the latest injury report.

Antetokounmpo’s status was initially questionable because he was dealing with left Achilles tendinitis. Upon further assessment, The Greek Freak’s status has been changed to out. Doc Rivers revealed that Giannis will not play tonight and has been dealing with an Achilles injury for the last few games.

That is a massive blow for the Bucks, as Giannis has been their best player all season. The Greek Freak is having an MVP-caliber season, averaging 30.8 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 6.3 assists. Apart from having a great season, Giannis has also been the best 4th quarter-player throughout the season. He leads the league in 4th quarter points with 8.2 per game. Giannis’ clutch performances have helped the Bucks stay at the Number 2 spot in the Eastern Conference standings. Giannis’ absence could leave a massive void in the Bucks’ lineup tonight. They are going up against a stacked Clippers team. And without Giannis, the Bucks could suffer on both offense and defense.

Dame time in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s absence?

With Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the game, the responsibility to get the Bucks a victory will fall on Damian Lillard’s shoulders. Dame is the second-best player on the Bucks roster behind Giannis and has been his co-star throughout the season. He has had a decent first season with his new team, averaging 24.2 points, 6.8 assists, and 4.4 rebounds. However, Lillard’s recent performances have not been up to his standard. Although the Bucks have won their last five games, Lillard has averaged only 20.2 points in those victories.

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A major reason for Lillard taking a backseat is that Giannis is the one who usually takes over games. However, with Giannis out tonight, Lillard will be the primary scoring option on the team. That means the NBA World could witness another Dame Time moment in action. Lillard is more than capable of single-handedly leading his team to victory. Even though he will not be able to fill the void on the defensive end, Lillard’s offensive prowess might be enough to get a win tonight. Do you think the Bucks can beat the Clippers without Giannis Antetokounmpo?