Milwaukee's about to get its lifeline back ahead of tonight's game versus the Chicago Bulls. Per The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, citing league and team sources, Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return against the Chicago Bulls provided he clears pregame testing protocols.
This return makes all the difference for a season that was sliding into disaster territory fast. The Bucks only had two wins in eight games without their superstar. For a time, it felt like genuine existential crisis material for a team already sitting 11th in the East with a 12-19 record. For the Bucks, getting their franchise player's services back finally stops the bleeding, at least for now.
The Bucks finally have a glimmer of hope after recent distressing stretch
Much has been said about this team's problems, and to be sure, this return doesn't solve them. The defensive rotations are still confused. The bench still struggles to generate consistent offense. Myles Turner is still providing a negative impact. All those issues remain after Giannis checks in.
But Giannis is still Giannis. That means the Bucks are getting back 28.9 points, 10.1 rebounds and 6.1 assists per game on 63.9 percent efficiency (once he clears minutes restrictions). That's certainly not nothing, especially for a team whose next few contests include a litany of teams sitting under .500.
The glimmer of hope is there: if the Bucks can maximize Giannis' return and solve their issues in a hurry, there's a clear opportunity to stack up wins and return to the level of basketball we saw early this season.
In the broader scheme of things, this return also at the very least quells the recent trade deadline panic consuming the front office. If Milwaukee had gone another two weeks without Giannis while the losses piled up, Jon Horst and company likely would've been fielding desperate calls about moving anyone with value just to salvage something from this disaster.
Every game between now and then might make all the difference going forward. If the Bucks kept losing, it wasn't an impossibility that they'd become sellers. But if they start winning with him back, there's also a world where they're buyers looking to add pieces for a playoff push.
Watching the season collapse without Giannis was crushing morale and validating every criticism about the talent around Antetokounmpo. Getting him back halts that narrative before it becomes permanent. Now they get to hit pause, reassess with their best player healthy, and make deadline decisions from a position that's not complete desperation.
To be clear, the Bucks are still a mess. The coaching still leaves so much to be desired. The roster is still flawed. But for now, they have another chance to right the ship and build better habits. For now they have hope, and that should be enough for a team that's been through the wringer as of late.
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