Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Hamstring Concerns Put Availability vs Pelicans in Jeopardy

The Milwaukee Bucks endured a tough loss at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers in their last outing. A 124-128 double-overtime loss is bound to knock the wind out of most teams as they head into their next game. To make matter worse for the Bucks, it is the New Orleans Pelicans waiting for their arrival. But will Milwaukee be successful in bouncing back from a tough double-overtime loss without The Greek Freak?

As per the official injury report of the league, the Milwaukee Bucks have listed Giannis Antetokounmpo as probable for their matchup tonight on the injury report, as they visit the New Orleans Pelicans on their home turf.

Antetokounmpo’s reasoning has again been listed as Tendinopathy in his left hamstring, something he has dealt with hamstring issues since the first half of the 2023-24 NBA season. But it hasn’t sidelined him or cost him time off the floor as much as it could have.

In his last outing, Giannis had an incredible stat line, finishing the game with 29 points and 21 rebounds, per StatMuse. He also had 11 assists to make it a triple-double along with 3 blocks and 2 steals for the game.

OH MY GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO pic.twitter.com/YhnDTV5sEz

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 24, 2024

The only shortcoming in Giannis Antetokounmpo’s performance turned out to have, was his abysmal free-throw shooting. The Greek Freak went 1-6 from the stripe, shooting 16.7% from there, while also missing two crucial free throws in the second overtime period. The 7 turnovers he had did not help the Bucks much either.

With a 46-26 overall season record so far, the Milwaukee Bucks are still the second-best team in the Eastern Conference. However, there is no assured outcome to the game when the Pelicans are on the floor.

There is no doubt that New Orleans has been playing well. However, at times, the team has been known to drop a game to a low-seeded team. So, the Bucks-Pelicans meeting tonight can end up going either way.

Can Giannis Antetokounmpo help the Bucks bounce back?

The New Orleans Pelicans have a 44-28 record, placing them in the fifth spot in a hardened Western Conference. Had the Pels been in the East, their current record would place them right at the heels of the Bucks.

Zion Williamson has been the catalyst for the team’s success lately. Since the Duke product’s newfound will and desire have been reignited, Williamson has approached the game a bit differently than before, which has been working out for his team.

As for Milwaukee, having Giannis Antetokunmpo on the floor is always a good assurance that the Bucks will be able to take care of things. The Greek Freak has been averaging 30.6 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 6.4 assists per game.

Let’s see if Milwaukee can bounce back from their double-overtime loss tonight. Tune into NBA TV at 8:00 PM ET to see the Pelicans host the Bucks.