Giannis Antetokounmpo’s team, who missed another game due to injury, will not advance past the regular season for the first time since 2016.
The Milwaukee Bucks are officially out of the playoff race after a 95-127 loss to the San Antonio Spurs this Saturday. This result ends the second-longest active streak of consecutive playoff appearances in the league, which lasted nine seasons. Only the Boston Celtics maintain a longer active streak, with 11 consecutive appearances.
The absence of Antetokounmpo, who missed his sixth consecutive game due to a hyperextension and bone contusion in his left knee, has been a determining factor in the team’s poor performance. The Greek player has participated in only 36 games this season, and the Bucks have lost nine of their last 11 games.
It’s worth remembering that Giannis, a two-time MVP, champion and Finals MVP in 2021, and one of the most talked-about names in the final period of the trade window, has been linked in recent months to a possible departure at the end of the season, and he himself has guaranteed that, even though he prefers to stay, he will only remain if he is assured of competitive sporting prospects.
Conversely, the Spurs recorded their eighth consecutive victory and their 13th in the last 14 games. With this win, the San Antonio team is now just two games behind the Oklahoma City Thunder, leaders of the Western Conference. Regarding individual performances, Stephon Castle stood out with a triple-double of 22 points, 10 assists, and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, MVP candidate Victor Wembanyama contributed 23 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists to the Texas team’s victory.
