The Milwaukee Bucks experienced yet another early playoff exit in 2025, falling in a heartbreaking overtime Game 5 to the Indiana Pacers in their first-round series. Despite holding a substantial lead late in the game, they were unable to close it out. This marks the second consecutive season the Pacers have eliminated the Bucks and the third straight year Milwaukee has failed to advance past the initial playoff round. Since clinching the NBA championship in 2021, the Bucks have won only a single playoff series and hold a postseason record of 11-17.
While various factors have contributed to the Bucks` shortened playoff runs, injuries have consistently played the most significant role. Key players have been unavailable for crucial periods in each of their last four postseason appearances. In the most recent series, Damian Lillard suffered an Achilles tendon tear in Game 4, occurring shortly after he had returned from a calf blood clot that had kept him sidelined for an extended period.
Reflecting on the situation, Bucks coach Doc Rivers commented on the difficulty of dealing with such setbacks: “I don`t know how you deal with it, you just deal with it. When your two best players — one has been out each year, last year both were out, for the most part. This year, Giannis is playing great, now Dame was back, but he was never right, and then he gets hurt. I`ll make sense of it this summer. Nothing you can do about it, I do know that.”
It is worth noting the irony that injuries also factored into the Bucks` 2021 championship run, though in that case, they benefited from their opponent`s misfortune. The Brooklyn Nets, whom the Bucks defeated in the second round, were significantly impacted by injuries to James Harden and Kyrie Irving. Had the Nets remained healthy, the outcome of that series, and potentially the championship, might have been different.
Despite benefiting from opponent injuries in 2021, the Bucks themselves have been disproportionately affected by major injuries in the subsequent years. When asked if this was simply bad luck, Giannis Antetokounmpo offered a philosophical perspective. “I don`t believe in bad luck. I`m too blessed to believe in bad luck,” Antetokounmpo stated, adding, “I think everything happens for a reason.”
As the Bucks head into what promises to be a critical offseason, let`s look back at the key injuries that have cut short their playoff runs over the past four years.
2022: Middleton`s Knee Sprain
A year removed from their title, the Bucks entered the 2022 playoffs as a strong contender to repeat. However, their hopes took a major hit early in the first round against the Chicago Bulls when Khris Middleton suffered an MCL sprain in his left knee. The injury was season-ending for Middleton.
While the Bucks managed to eliminate the Bulls, Middleton`s absence proved insurmountable in the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Boston Celtics. Despite a valiant effort, including a dominant performance from Antetokounmpo in Game 6, Milwaukee ultimately lost the series, lacking the firepower Middleton provided.
2023: Antetokounmpo`s Back Injury
The Bucks bounced back in the 2023 regular season, finishing with the best record in the NBA and securing home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. Expectations were high for a return to the Finals. However, just eight minutes into Game 1 of their first-round series against the Miami Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo landed awkwardly on his back after a foul.
Antetokounmpo missed the next two games and returned for Game 4 clearly hobbled. Despite his limited effectiveness and the team falling behind 2-1, the Bucks had opportunities, building significant leads in both Games 4 and 5. Yet, they couldn`t capitalize and were eliminated by the lower-seeded Heat in a major upset.
2024: Giannis and Lillard Sidelined
The stunning loss to the Heat in 2023 led to coaching changes and a blockbuster trade to acquire Damian Lillard. The 2024 season saw further coaching changes with Doc Rivers taking over, and familiar injury issues resurfaced. Khris Middleton missed significant time, and then Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a calf strain late in the regular season, ruling him out for the entire first-round series against the Indiana Pacers.
With Antetokounmpo out, the pressure fell on Lillard and Middleton. However, Lillard sustained an Achilles tendon injury during the series. Although he attempted to play through it, he was severely limited, and the short-handed Bucks were unable to compete effectively, resulting in another early playoff exit.
2025: Lillard`s Latest Injuries
Heading into the most recent season (as referenced in the source), the Bucks faced questions about their depth and coaching stability. As the playoffs began, Damian Lillard was dealing with a blood clot in his calf, raising concerns about his availability. While he made a crucial return early in the series, his presence was tragically short-lived.
In Game 4, Lillard suffered a torn Achilles tendon, an injury that ended his postseason and could potentially impact his availability for the following season. Without their star point guard and with other players fatigued or injured, the Bucks lacked the necessary talent to compete in the final games against the Pacers, leading to their elimination.
Jasper Hawthorne