Following a plethora of NBA Trade Deadline moves by the Milwaukee Bucks, pressure is now on with superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo now sidelined through the next week, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
On Sunday morning, it was announced that the two-time MVP will be out the next week due to a mild calf strain and will miss the NBA All-Star Game. Giannis has been out since February 2 and is expected to return following the All-Star break in San Francisco next weekend.
It is a huge blow for the Bucks, with them struggling to find consistency as of late. Now they have to play without their star player for at least the next three games this coming week. Sunday afternoon, the Bucks host the Philadelphia 76ers, who may be without their own former MVP Joel Embiid.
This news is a brutal blow, but allows the new additions to show what they are capable of while another star will have to rise to the ocassion.
Damian Lillard will have to step up prior to All-Star Weekend
All eyes will now be on Kyle Kuzma following the trade to acquire him from the Washington Wizards, and he will be given more freedom now that Giannis is unavailable.
It was a mixed debut for the former Laker, and with more time in Wisconsin and practice under his belt, all involved will be hoping he can show why Jon Horst was willing to part ways with Khris Middleton to bring him in.
Damian Lillard is another Buck that will need to rise to the occasion. He has shown during his time so far with the Bucks and formerly with the Portland Trail Blazers that he has the ability to lead a team to wins. In five games this season without Giannis alongside him, Lillard has averaged 30.8 points, 10.6 assists and 4.8 rebounds on really good shooting splits of .474/.434/.976.
Doc Rivers will possibly give Kevin Porter Jr. and Jericho Sims their debuts prior to All-Star Weekend, but Lillard will be the key to everything the Bucks do offensively. He has shown throughout his career that he can score for himself but ensure that others get into their flow as well and we have seen AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. flourish this season thanks to the point guards facilitating.
One area that is now going to weigh heavy on Lillard's shoulders is that playmaking. Middleton was able to aid that and take some of that pressure off of Lillard; with him no longer on the roster, it could look pretty ugly without him on the court.
This will be a crucial run of games for the Bucks, as they sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with a record of 27-23, 1.5 games back of the Indiana Pacers and a few off the New York Knicks, Boston Celtics and Cleveland Cavaliers.
As previously mentioned, the Bucks host the Sixers on Sunday, before welcoming the Golden State Warriors and Jimmy Butler to Fiserv Forum on Monday. They then head to Minnesota to take on the Timberwolves.
Thankfully, the Giannis news is not too bad, and the All-Star festivities come at the right time to allow him to rest up and the majority of the roster to work on their game together. The new additions can become acclimatized to Rivers' game plan in this timeframe.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks news and analysis.