Giannis Antetokounmpo officially suffered a low-grade left groin strain and will be out of the lineup for one to two weeks, per ESPN's Shams Charania. The Greek Freak exited Milwaukee's loss to Cleveland on Monday, clutching his groin as he immediately went to the locker room. It was clear that he would miss some time, but now, the Bucks have an idea of just how much.
Bucks face a tall order staying afloat without Giannis
The Bucks were struggling with Giannis in the lineup. Now, they have to find a way to string together a few wins without him if they want to stay afloat in the Eastern Conference. Replacing 31.2 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 6.8 assists per game won't be easy. It might be impossible. Yet, the Milwaukee Bucks must find a way to survive without their go-to guy.
Per Bobby Marks and ESPN Insights, the Bucks have the best offense in the NBA when Giannis is on the floor. When he rests, they have the worst. That's troubling, and this stretch will force the Bucks to confront this glaring weakness head-on. It's time for the others to step up to the plate and show that they can contribute.
Of course, there are several Bucks who immediately come to mind.
Myles Turner has been good, but not great. Now, with Giannis out, the Bucks will ask him to score the ball more -- he's averaging 12.3 points, his lowest since 2019-20 -- and lead the defense every single night. It's a tall order, but Turner knew he was signing up for more responsibility when he left Indiana last summer. Now, he has a chance to shine.
Milwaukee could also use a Bobby Portis reawakening. He is having his least productive season since his sophomore year, struggling to make shots while also providing little resistance defensively. If he gets more minutes, it could be what he needs to snap this funk and get back to being an impactful piece in Milwaukee. Some will say it's wishful thinking, but anything is possible.
Of course, then there's Kyle Kuzma. For months, Bucks fans have begged Kuzma to wipe the mindset he had in Washington -- where he played more like a focal point than a complementary piece -- from his mind. Well, the Milwaukee Bucks need production to come from somewhere, and asking Kuzma to turn back the clock could be a solution -- or a disaster. Yet, beggars can't be choosers.
For the next one to two weeks, everyone needs to step up, and even that might not be enough to fill the void left in Giannis Antetokounmpo's absence.
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