It is very unlike Giannis Antetokounmpo to take games off. Through minor injuries or even nagging, the Greek Freak generally perseveres. However, this year he took a different route. He’s been speaking a lot about “being aware” of his body now. After feeling some discomfort in his left calf, the 2x MVP decided it was best not to push, nor punish himself. He even sat out the All-Star Game held in San Francisco. His careful approach towards the injury though stems from the nightmare of what happened last season.

The 30-year-old brute forward set a goal for himself. “I’ve said this, this year I want to be smart. One of my goals is to be available for the playoffs,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said. The stunning two-way forward then revealed feeling “a little bit of discomfort” in his calf before the game against the Hornets.

Rather than exert and play through the pain, the Greek Freak took the “smart” decision. The discomfort he felt was similar to what happened last season close to the playoffs. “I felt it days prior to that maybe like a week or two prior to that and then you know you overcompensate or you keep on playing and you’re like, ‘Okay, it’s just going to be tight, it’s going to be stiff, I’m going to play through it’. But I didn’t. I wasn’t able to play through it and I got hurt,” Giannis pointed out during the presser.

Last postseason, a similar knock restricted the Greek Freak to watch from the sidelines as the Bucks fell short against the Indiana Pacers. It would have been the first real taste of what a Lillard-Antetokounmpo dynamic looked like in the postseason. But because of his own mindset, the injury worsened, causing Antetokounmpo to spend unexpected time on the sidelines.

Likewise, Giannis doesn’t wish to take that risk again. “The team, we thought it would be the best idea to take a few games off, get it right. Get back healthy, and you don’t want to go out there and play with fear. You don’t want to go out there play with fear overcompensate and don’t be 100% and don’t be confident. You don’t want to do that, so that’s why I was out.”

With his intense devotion to the Milwaukee Bucks, the injury during the playoffs might have taken a toll on the Greek Freak. He claims he will NEVER ask for a trade. “They would have to kick me out!” he specifically revealed. Having such commitment towards his franchise, they might need him more than ever before this season.

The Bucks need Giannis Antetokounmpo to make it work in the postseason

I know it sounds very obvious. However, it’s crucial to understand just how critical it is for Giannis Antetokounmpo to be present. Unlike last year, the Bucks don’t have the seasoned presence of Khris Middleton to try to bring some stability to the Bucks in the absence of the Greek Freak. Additionally, Dame and Antetokounmpo have now learned how to play together, blossoming into one of the most prolific tandems in the league.

The former Finals MVP is having a career year! Giannis is averaging a career-high 31.8 points per game while being one of the pillars of the Bucks’ unsettled defense.

According to Basketball Reference, Antetokounmpo has also compiled 6.3 win shares this season, the most on the Bucks’ roster. With the team heavily relying on their cornerstone for scoring production, Giannis is more indispensable than ever this year.

Doc Rivers will hinge on his tenacity and fierce spirit to dictate games.

Likewise, preventing him from picking up a major injury this close to the postseason wouldn’t have been wiser. Especially, considering it’s the same left calf. Now, having taken a much-needed break to recover, he is expected to return. It comes at a time when a string of wins could significantly push the Bucks in the East ladder. The team is only one game behind the fourth-seeded Pacers. While ending with a top-3 finish is unlikely, the teams below, such as the Pistons and the Hawks, are breathing down Milwaukee’s neck.

Having a healthy and well-rested Giannis Antetokounmpo could unlock the team’s potential before the playoffs begin. With a vision to win a title, the tactical decision could ensure they stand on firm ground, unlike last year, when the season ended in an upsetting manner.