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There is never a good time to lose your superstar, but there are better moments than in the very first game of your playoff push. But that was the hand dealt to both the Bucks and Grizzlies in their respective Game 1s as Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant exited their contests early with injuries.
The Greek Freak left Milwaukee’s game against the Heat late in the first quarter after falling hard on a drive. He came back early in the second quarter but didn’t last long, then didn’t return. The team later announced that Antetokounmpo suffered a lower back contusion.
“He just wasn’t moving [well],” Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said to reporters after the game. “Didn’t look comfortable, confident. It felt like the right thing.”
Milwaukee relinquished home-court advantage to Miami, 130-117, setting the stage for what would be a monumental first-round upset. According to Shams Charania, the Bucks are optimistic about Antetokounmpo’s availability for Game 2, but nothing is certain at the moment.
Morant left Game 1 of the Lakers-Grizzlies series midway through the fourth quarter after experiencing a similar situation as Antetokounmpo. He met Anthony Davis in mid-air while going for a dunk, bracing his fall with his right hand and immediately paying the price.
The Lakers outscored the Grizzlies following Morant’s removal, 23-11, and stormed to a 1-0 series lead, 128-112. After the final whistle, Morant told media members that x-rays were negative but that he was “in a good bit of pain” and his health for Game 2 is “in jeopardy.”
It’s unclear how much longer the Bucks and Grizz will have to go without their marquee men, but the results after each departed from their Game 1s indicate some serious issues for each if they’re forced to experience extended time without. But who’s in the worse position to lose their superstar player, Milwaukee or Memphis?
The Bucks Without Giannis Antetokounmpo
Considered one of the three favorites for this season’s MVP award, Giannis has put together yet another impressive campaign. The already two-time MVP was the centerpiece to Milwaukee’s title in 2021 and figured to be the driving force behind another Bucks playoff run. Measuring in at 7 feet tall with guard-like skills, he’s virtually impossible to contain offensively and defensively.
The Greek Freak finished fifth in the NBA regular season in points per game (31.1). He has the highest usage percentage of any player in the NBA (38.8) and attempted the most free throws (772) of anyone in the Association in the 2022-23 campaign. He rebounds, he assists, and he scores efficiently. Milwaukee is running more set plays this season rather than going to isos for their best scorers like they tended to do more in seasons past, but they’re still designing a lot of these plays for Giannis, especially with Khris Middleton’s injury-ridden year.
It seems bad to lose Antetokounmpo on offense, but it might be even worse on defense. He is one of the best weak-side defenders in the NBA, with his length and size cutting off passing lanes and his quickness letting him rotate in what feels like an instant. The Bucks also utilize Giannis in tandem with Brook Lopez or Bobby Portis, putting one of them on the opposition’s five to allow Antetokounmpo the freedom to help as necessary around the rim and in the corners. Milwaukee likes to stay at home on shooters and force teams to run into a helping Antetokounmpo or Jrue Holiday. A rotating Jae Crowder doesn’t quite bring the same consequence as Giannis careening across the court.
The Grizzlies Without Ja Morant
Memphis is already without the towers of Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke, severely affecting how they handle the interior on both ends of the court. To have Morant disappear from the lineup as well would be a massive blow to an already-depleted roster.
Like much of the modern NBA, the Grizzlies’ offense is all about pace and space – Memphis attempted the fourth-most field goals of any team in the Association this season. There are few players in the NBA who can help a team achieve and succeed in this environment more than Morant. He’s a wizard in mid-air with outstanding vision, able to control his body in ways most of us couldn’t imagine.
The point guard also has one of the highest usage percentages in the league (34.9) and ranked sixth in the NBA regular season in assist percentage (41.1). Obviously, the Grizzlies rely on Morant for scoring, but he’s more important to their distribution and assurance that they get everything they can out of scoring threats like Desmond Bane and Dillion Brooks. The guard’s teammates are connecting on 47.1 percent of their field goals when the pass they receive comes from him.
Who’s the Bigger Loss?
This is a tough question, and the answer depends on how you frame it. The Grizzlies are already without two important players, and to subtract Morant from the equation means that a first-round elimination at the hands of a talented Lakers team is likely. The Bucks have a better shot at getting out of their 0-1 hole against the Heat to survive another round even without Giannis, but you’re talking about perhaps the best all-around player in the entire world for several years running. Milwaukee will not win a championship without Giannis in the lineup. If you’re asking which player makes a larger overall impression on the floor, it’s Antetokounmpo, and by that logic, he would be the bigger loss.
But when considering the immediacy, the answer is Morant. The Grizzlies were already struggling with injuries, and many had circled their series with the Lakers as a likely upset even before Game 1 tipped. The Bucks without Giannis are a stronger team than Memphis sans Morant, and the Grizz were handed a more difficult initial playoff opponent. Without their certified superstar, the Southwest Division champs are dug into a deeper hole than the pride of the Central.
That said, without Giannis helping defensively, Jimmy Butler will probably continue to carve the Bucks apart. Milwaukee cannot feel safe in this series, especially without its Greek giant.
NBA FAQs
How do you win NBA pick'em pool?
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In order to win an NBA Pick'Em pool, players must have the most points at the end of the season. For each correct pick during the regular season, members will receive one point (customizable based on the pool commissioner). Some pools will choose picks based on the spread or straight up.
What is NBA pick'em pool?
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In an NBA Pick'Em pool, players make weekly picks (either against the point spread or straight-up). The number of picks each week is customizable by the pool commissioner. Optional best-bet and confidence pick settings can be put into place as well. Commissioners can use a hosting site like RunYourPool to keep up with scoring and calculations.
How to play an NBA basketball pool?
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The way one plays a basketball pool varies on the game type. For example, in Pick'em Pools, you simply pick every game each week.
How to run a weekly basketball pool?
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In order to run a basketball pool, you must first crown yourself as Pool Commissioner. Begin by picking a game type like Survivor or Pick'Em. You'll want to establish rules before inviting friends, family, and colleagues to join. As commissioner, you make the rules and also need to enforce them equally and fairly.
How do you win NBA Survivor Pool?
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In NBA Survivor, the last player standing wins. The name of the game is to make it to the next week. A member will select one game from all the games in that given week. If members choose the correct winner, they move on to the next week. If they pick incorrectly, they are eliminated from the contest.
What is NBA Surivor Pool?
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In an NBA Survivor pool, players choose one NBA team each week that they believe will win. They may only pick a team one time per season. Picks are made "straight up," not using a point spread system. If their pick is correct, they survive until the next week. An incorrect pick eliminates the player from the pool for the remainder of the season.
What is a basketball pool?
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"Basketball Pool" is a broad term for a group of people competitively guessing the outcome of one or more basketball game. There are many types of formats, each assigning winners differently. They can be played informally between friends or through a more formalized system.
How to make a basketball pool?
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A basketball pool generally requires the creation of a shareable spreadsheet (like Google Sheets) so that members may pick teams. Then depending on the game type, creators must use several kinds of formulas (e.g. CountIF), data validation, and conditional formatting. Or, you can just use basketball pool hosting services like RunYourPool where we do all the work for you!
How do you win NBA Playoff Bracket Pool?
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In NBA Playoff Bracket pools, the winning entry is the team with the most points at the end of Playoffs. Members try to pick the winner of each playoff series. For each series, they also pick how many games they think the series will go. Points are awarded for each winning pick, with bonus points for how close they come to the correct series length
What is an NBA Playoff Bracket Pool?
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In an NBA Playoff Bracket pool, players pick the winner of each NBA Playoff series. Commissioners can choose to have members receive bonus points for guessing the series length. Points increase as the tournament progresses (points per round are configurable by the commissioner). The winning entry is the player with the most points at the end of the playoffs.
Are there other Playoff Pools?
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Yes! RunYourPool offers plenty of contest types for various playoff events! March Madness squares and bracket pools aer very popular among basketball fanatics, while the Super Bowl Prop Pool is the most popular annual event game.
How to set up a basketball pool?
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To set up a basketball pool, you'll need to first choose a pool type like Survivor or Pick'em. Then, you'll need to set the ground rules. As pool commissioner, you'll enforce these rules and make sure the game runs smoothly throughout the season. Many commissioners use pool hosting sites like RunYourPool to make it easier and more engaging.