Bucks Notes: Giannis, Lillard, Horst, Offseason
Following the Bucks‘ third consecutive first-round playoff exit and a torn Achilles diagnosis for star point guard Damian Lillard, superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo finds himself under the spotlight. Speculation about whether he wants to stick with the Bucks or compete for a championship elsewhere figures to dominate the news cycle in Milwaukee until he makes a decision one way or the other.
John Hollinger of The Athletic is among the pundits to make the case that trading Antetokounmpo this offseason is the best path forward for the Bucks. While he acknowledges it’s not an easy decision, given what Giannis means to the franchise and the fact that the Bucks don’t control their own draft picks for the next several years, Hollinger believes the organization isn’t in position to maximize the remaining years of the two-time MVP’s prime.
Eric Koreen of The Athletic, conversely, contends that a player’s championship rings have become disproportionately weighed when evaluating a player’s legacy and argues that “time spent together” should be valued more highly than it is. Lillard’s own move from Portland to Milwaukee shows that a trade to a would-be contender offers no guarantees, Koreen points out, adding that Dirk Nowitzki‘s career spent in Dallas feels “right” in retrospect even though he only won a single title with the Mavericks.
For his part, Antetokounmpo wasn’t ready to discuss his future after the Bucks lost Game 5 in Indiana on Tuesday, ending their season.
“I’m not going to do this,” Giannis said when asked if he believes he can win another title in Milwaukee, per Jamal Collier of ESPN. “I’m not going to do that. I know how it’s going to translate. I don’t know, man. I wish I was still playing. I wish I was still competing and going back and working out.”
As we relayed on Wednesday, Antetokounmpo is expected to meet soon with Bucks management to discuss his and the team’s future.
Here’s more on the Bucks:
- Antetokounmpo’s season ended in unusual fashion on Tuesday, as he found himself face-to-face with John Haliburton, the father of Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton, on the court seconds after Indiana closed out a 119-118 win. As Collier writes for ESPN.com, Antetokounmpo engaged in a heated confrontation with the elder Haliburton, who later apologized for coming onto the floor and shouting at the Bucks forward, according to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. “His dad coming on the floor and showing me his son — a towel with his face on [it], [saying] ‘This is what we do. We do this,'” Antetokounmpo told reporters after the game. “I feel like that’s very, very disrespectful.” Giannis later said that he talked to John Haliburton after the incident and that “we’re in a good place.”
- If Lillard had finished the season healthy, he and the Bucks would likely have had a conversation about his future in Milwaukee, according to Eric Nehm and Sam Amick of The Athletic, who say there’s a chance the two sides would’ve decided they might be better off parting ways. That scenario could’ve given Milwaukee a path to revamping its roster around Antetokounmpo while sending Lillard to a contender that may be a better fit, Nehm and Amick note, but it’s off the table now that the point guard will spend the year recovering from an Achilles tear.
- Some rival executives were surprised that the Bucks extended general manager Jon Horst in April, but he was in consideration as a potential front office target for both the Suns and Pelicans before Milwaukee did that deal, league sources tell Nehm and Amick.
- Within his preview of the Bucks’ offseason, ESPN’s Bobby Marks says adding depth and shooting should be a priority this offseason for the Bucks, who will also need to add more help in the frontcourt if they lose either Brook Lopez or Bobby Portis in free agency.
Central Notes: Hunter, Giannis, Mathurin, Nesmith, Pistons
The Cavaliers‘ 55-point blowout victory in Miami on Monday sent them to the second round and established a new NBA record — Cleveland’s +122 margin in the four-game sweep made it the most lopsided playoff series in league history, per Joe Vardon of The Athletic.
There was plenty to like about the Cavaliers’ dominant first-round performance against the Heat. One major positive, Vardon writes, was the strong play of reserve forward De’Andre Hunter, who bounced back in impressive fashion after he “looked a little lost” in Game 1, when he went scoreless on 0-of-4 shooting in 16 minutes.
Hunter scored double-digit points in each of the next three games, including 20.0 PPG on 63.2% shooting (66.7% on three-pointers) in the two road victories in Miami. Head coach Kenny Atkinson said the Cavaliers didn’t make any specific adjustments after Game 1 and that Hunter’s strong play in his next three outings was about him “gaining more confidence and being more comfortable.”
The Cavs led the NBA in offensive rating during the regular season (121.0) and are doing so again in the playoffs (136.2). As Vardon observes, having Hunter scoring and shooting that effectively off the bench is one significant reason why Cleveland’s offense is so dangerous.
Here’s more from around the Central:
- In the wake of Damian Lillard‘s Achilles tear, Michael Pina of The Ringer argues that it would be in the Bucks‘ best interests to trade superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo sooner rather than later. With no clear short-term path to contention and no control of their own draft picks for the next several years, the Bucks’ best path to long-term success would be to build around the massive haul they could get in return for their two-time MVP, Pina contends.
- Pacers wing Bennedict Mathurin, who missed Game 4 due to an abdominal contusion, had a hard time eating and sleeping after sustaining the injury in Game 3, head coach Rick Carlisle told reporters, including Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Mathurin has reportedly improved in recent days, but he’s not a lock to play in Game 5 on Tuesday — he’s listed as questionable.
[Update: Mathurin will be available for Game 5.] - Another Pacers wing, Aaron Nesmith, is considered probable to play on Tuesday due to a lower back bruise he suffered in Game 4 after a chase-down block on a Bobby Portis layup attempt (Twitter video link). Nesmith was lauded by his teammates for his willingness to put his body on the line, Dopirak writes for the Indianapolis Star. “That’s who Double-A is,” Tyrese Haliburton said. “What he brings doesn’t always show up on the scoresheet. Some people say, like, they’re willing to die for this. Double-A is willing to die for this. He gives it his all every night and I think every team in the NBA wants a guy like Aaron Nesmith. Every team who wins big and ultimately wins it all always has a guy like Aaron Nesmith.”
- It’s not uncommon for young teams making their first playoff appearance to experience growing pains as they adjust to the heightened intensity of the NBA postseason. The Pistons are going through that process during their first-round series vs. New York, as Hunter Patterson of The Athletic details. “We are learning our way through every challenge that’s in front of us,” head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said. “I think our guys have done a great job of learning from one moment to the next.”
Stephen Curry Named 2024/25 Teammate Of The Year
Warriors star Stephen Curry has been named the NBA’s Teammate of the Year for the 2024/25 season, the league announced today (via Twitter).
The Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year award “recognizes the player deemed the best teammate based on selfless play, leadership as a mentor and role model to other NBA players, and commitment to his team,” per the NBA.
The award isn’t voted on by media members. A panel of league executives select the 12 finalists (six from each conference) for the award, while current players vote on the winner. Players receive 10 points for a first place vote, seven for second, five for third, three for fourth, and one point for fifth place.
Curry just narrowly won this season’s vote ahead of Rockets center Steven Adams.
Here are this season’s full voting results, according to the NBA, with the player’s point total noted in parentheses:
- Stephen Curry, Warriors (1,257)
- Steven Adams, Rockets (1,237)
- Jalen Brunson, Knicks (925)
- DeAndre Jordan, Nuggets (897)
- Nicolas Batum, Clippers (868)
- Donovan Mitchell, Cavaliers (850)
- Al Horford, Celtics (834)
- James Johnson, Pacers (751)
- Jaylin Williams, Thunder (690)
- Brook Lopez, Bucks (657)
- Tobias Harris, Pistons (648)
- Jaren Jackson Jr., Grizzlies (552)
It’s the first Teammate of the Year award for Curry, though it’s the seventh time in a row that a point guard has earned the honor.
The award, which was introduced in ’12/13, had gone to either Mike Conley (2019 and 2024) or Jrue Holiday (2020, 2022, and 2023) in five of the past six seasons, with Damian Lillard claiming it in 2021.
Latest On Damian Lillard
Bucks guard Damian Lillard was on crutches and in a walking boot as he left Fiserv Forum Sunday night after suffering an apparent Achilles tear, writes Jamal Collier of ESPN.
Lillard will undergo an MRI today to confirm the extent of the damage, but sources told Collier that a preliminary examination indicates an injury to the left Achilles tendon. In a post-game session with reporters, coach Doc Rivers admitted that the Bucks are fearing the worst, saying, “Just being honest, it’s not very promising.”
“I knew it right away,” Rivers continued. “I felt bad for him; the guy tried to come back for his team. I just felt bad for him.”
The injury occurred midway through the first quarter when Lillard was trying to control an offensive rebound by tipping it to a teammate. He collapsed to the court while grabbing his left leg and remained there through Milwaukee’s defensive possession. He wasn’t able to put any weight on the leg as he was helped to the locker room.
“When a guy just works as hard as he can to get back on the court, then those things like that happen, very sad for him,” Bobby Portis said. “Sad for us for real. We need him out there.”
It’s a tragic ending for Lillard’s comeback story after missing more than a month with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. He reached the point where no longer required blood-thinning medication and was able to return in Game 2 after missing the series opener.
Collier notes that Lillard’s injury was deflating for a Bucks team that was hoping to even its first-round playoff series. Milwaukee trailed 15-12 when he left the game with 5:57 remaining in the first quarter, but Indiana quickly went on a 10-3 run, led by 11 points at halftime and eventually won by 26, pushing the Bucks to the brink of elimination when the series resumes Tuesday night.
An early playoff exit would mark the third straight year that Milwaukee has been ousted in the first round, and it could lead to major offseason changes for the team, which only has one playoff series victory since capturing the 2021 championship.
Trade speculation is already building around franchise cornerstone Giannis Antetokounmpo, who has two seasons left on his contract, along with a $62.8MM player option for the 2027/28 season.
“I think everybody in the locker room knows what the deal is,” Antetokounmpo said. “The next guy got to step up. We got to do what we got to do, move the ball, play together, try to win the game and come back.”
The shock of Lillard’s injury even shook up the Pacers, who have been engaged in back-and-forth verbal battles with the Bucks since the series began. Myles Turner attributed that to the intense rivalry while saying Lillard is part of “the brotherhood” and expressing best wishes for his recovery. Tyrese Haliburton, who had several exchanges with Lillard during the series, began his post-game remarks with a message regarding the injury (Twitter video link).
“Before you all ask any questions, I want to send my thoughts and prayers to Dame,” Haliburton said. “What you see between us is competing, and you hate to see that happen, especially to a guy who’s went through a lot, and he’s given it his all to come out here and play after a scary health issue. It’s well documented the love I have for that guy. Hate to see that happen to anybody and wish him the best moving forward.”
Central Notes: Sheppard, Pacers, Bulls, Strus
After starting Pacers swingman Andrew Nembhard got into foul trouble during Indiana’s Game 3 playoff series loss to Milwaukee, reserve guard Ben Sheppard found himself playing more minutes than he had in the contests prior.
Sheppard knocked down a three-point shot during his six first-half minutes and the Pacers outscored Milwaukee by six points during those minutes. He went just 1-of-4 from the field in the second half, but was a +3 in 15:26 of action on the night.
According to Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star, head coach Rick Carlisle hinted that he may want to play Sheppard more going forward.
“Time to get him involved,” Carlisle said. “He did some really good things in the first half…. He gives us another guy to chase (Damian) Lillard around a little bit. Look, we need all hands on deck. We need everybody. Guys are gonna have to be able to come in and possibly play short minutes from time to time to help us with matchups, to help us with rebounding, to help us with spacing. You name it.”
There’s more out of the Central Division:
- A lot went wrong in the Pacers’ 117-101 Game 3 defeat, as Dopirak details in another story. Two-time All-Star point guard Tyrese Haliburton believes that the team’s defense was the foundational issue. “We have to do a better job of rotating,” Haliburton said. “I gotta do a better job of staying down on shot fakes. Ground and contest, second-jumper contest. It starts with me. That was my matchup to start the game, so I gotta be better, but we were rotating and I thought we had a couple of miscommunications that led to some open ones and he got hot.” Dopirak also notes that the club leaned too heavily on isolation scoring for All-Star forward Pascal Siakam.
- The first round of the playoffs are highlighting the major problems in longtime Bulls president Arturas Karnisovas’ team construction, opines Joe Cowley of The Chicago Sun-Times. As Cowley explains, Chicago was among the NBA’s fastest-paced offenses and ranked in the bottom half of the league in defense, a profile that doesn’t match many serious contenders.
- Cavaliers swingman Max Strus has emerged as a perfect role player for the team as it gears up to sweep Miami, writes Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com.
Haliburton Shrugs Off ‘Overrated’ Label, Addresses Pacers/Bucks Animosity
When The Athletic anonymously asked 90 players around the NBA which player is the most overrated in the league, no one received more votes (13) than Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton. Asked about those poll results after The Athletic published them on Tuesday, Haliburton made it clear he wasn’t fazed.
“I must be doing something right if that’s the case,” the Pacers star said, per James Boyd of The Athletic. “I don’t have a big speech or comment on it. All I care about is this locker room and winning games, and we’re in position to go to Milwaukee and continue this series on. … I know who I am. I’m confident in my own skin and not worried what anybody thinks.”
Although Haliburton was the top vote-getter in the poll, a total of 33 players earned at least one vote, with 19 players named multiple times. Rudy Gobert and Trae Young finished second and third behind Haliburton, followed by Jimmy Butler in fourth. Giannis Antetokounmpo and LeBron James were among the others who received multiple votes.
When he was asked about Haliburton’s spot atop the list, Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle denounced the results more strongly than his starting point guard did, interrupting Boyd before he had finished his question.
“I heard about this and the other guys on the list were Jimmy Butler and Giannis,” Carlisle said (Twitter video link via iPacers.com). “I want to see the guys’ faces that voted those guys. … This is a bull—t poll. Not everybody even answered in the poll. Guys were able to answer if they wanted to. They were asked on camera or with a microphone. The whole thing’s bull—t, OK? And it’s really a shameful thing.
“Jimmy Butler would be a finalist for MVP if he had gotten to Golden State a month and a half earlier (with) what that guy’s done. And Giannis? Are you kidding me?”
Haliburton has done all he can in the first two games of the Pacers’ first-round series to prove the “overrated” label is erroneous. He handed out 12 assists and was a +27 in a Game 1 win on Saturday over the Bucks, then led his team to a Game 2 victory on Tuesday with 21 points and another dozen assists.
Haliburton has also gotten into it with opposing point guard Damian Lillard in both games, first when Lillard was on the bench in Game 1 and then when the two players were on the court in Game 2.
As Stephen Holder of ESPN relays, the Pacers guard downplayed those altercations as two “competitors” going at it in a playoff atmosphere. However, Haliburton didn’t deny the fact that there’s some animosity between the two Central Division teams, who have now faced each other in 17 regular season and playoff games since the start of the 2023/24 season.
“We don’t have to sit here and act like it’s any secret,” he said after Tuesday’s win. “We don’t like them, they don’t like us and that’s just what it is. And I think they live for this, we live for this, so I could (not) care less. I’m out here just trying to help my team win a game.”
Haliburton said he expects the rest of the series to maintain the same intensity level.
“Everybody says the league rivalries aren’t here anymore,” he said. “Well, it’s right here. So, this is an interesting series. We’ve played each other, it feels like, a million times over the last two years. I’ve seen every different coverage that they could throw at us. And I feel like those guys probably feel the same way about us. But there’s still a lot of series, you’ve got a lot of games to play. So, I’m sure there’ll be more heated moments, more competitive moments.”
2025 NBA Draft Tiebreaker Results
Tiebreakers among teams with identical regular-season records were broken on Monday through random drawings to determine the order for this year’s draft prior to the lottery.
The results are as follows, according to a press release from the league (Twitter link):
- Phoenix Suns (No. 9) over Portland Trail Blazers (No. 10)
- The Suns will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Trail Blazers.
- The Suns’ pick will be sent to the Rockets.
- Dallas Mavericks (No. 11) over Chicago Bulls (No. 12)
- The Mavericks will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Bulls.
- Sacramento Kings (No. 13) over Atlanta Hawks (No. 14)
- The Kings will get one more lottery ball combination (out of 1,000) than the Hawks.
- The Kings’ pick will be sent to the Hawks if it’s outside of the top 12.
- The Hawks’ pick will be sent to the Spurs.
- Memphis Grizzlies (No. 18) over Milwaukee Bucks (No. 19) over Golden State Warriors (No. 20)
- The Grizzlies’ pick will be sent to the Wizards.
- The Bucks’ pick will be sent to the Nets.
- The Warriors’ pick will be sent to the Heat.
- Los Angeles Lakers (No. 22) over Indiana Pacers (No. 23) over Los Angeles Clippers (No. 24) over Denver Nuggets (No. 25)
- The Lakers’ pick will be sent to the Hawks.
- The Clippers’ pick will be sent to the Thunder.
- The Nuggets’ pick will be sent to the Magic.
While the tiebreaker winner will pick ahead of the loser(s) in the first round, that order will be flipped in the second round.
For instance, the Warriors’ second-round pick (traded to the Grizzlies) will be at No. 48, followed by the Bucks’ pick (traded to Detroit) at No. 49, and the Grizzlies (traded to New York) at No. 50 — that’s the opposite of their order in the first round.
For lottery teams that finished with identical records, the second-round order is still to be determined depending on the lottery results.
For example, if Phoenix’s first-round pick (traded to Houston) stays at No. 9 and the Blazers’ first-rounder stays at No. 10, Portland’s second-round pick (traded to Toronto) would be at No. 39 and Phoenix’s (traded to Washington) would be No. 40. But if the Trail Blazers win the No. 1 overall pick on lottery night, moving ahead of Phoenix in the first round, then the Suns’ second-round pick would be No. 39, while Portland’s would be No. 40.
We’ll publish the full lottery odds and pre-lottery draft order for 2025 later tonight.
Pacers Notes: Mathurin, Walker, Nembhard, Game 1 Strategy
Bennedict Mathurin had to watch from the bench during the Pacers’ run to the Eastern Conference Finals last spring because of a torn labrum in his right shoulder, writes Kyle Neddenriep of The Indianapolis Star. The third-year swingman said the experience gave him a sense of what to expect as he made his playoff debut Saturday afternoon against Milwaukee.
“I’m really, really grateful to be able to play this year,” Mathurin said. “Last year, I couldn’t. And I’m still super young, so it’s a blessing to be able to have this opportunity in the playoffs at this young age. But I feel like it was a great opportunity for me to go out there and learn.”
Mathurin delivered 13 points and five rebounds in 25 minutes as Indiana handily defeated the Bucks in the series opener. He hit all eight of his free throws, but was only 2-of-7 from the field and 1-of-6 from three-point range as Neddenriep notes that a late-season shooting slump seems to be continuing. Mathurin offered a mixed evaluation of his performance.
“I have a lot of expectations on myself,” he said. “I think I was pretty good defensively. Like I said, the playoffs is just a different atmosphere. And just remembering all the moments of last year, not being able to play, and just going out there and playing hard defense as much as I can, I’m willing to do it to win.”
There’s more from Indiana:
- Jarace Walker got into nine playoff games last season, but was limited mainly to garbage time, Neddenriep adds in the same piece. He had a more prominent role in Game 1, contributing three points, five rebounds and a block in 17 minutes on Saturday. “It was so much fun,” Walker said. “I had a great time, just soaking in the moment. I’ll give the team whatever they need, whether it’s shot making, defending, rebounding. I feel like I’m a versatile player who can impact the game in multiple ways. Whatever is needed, I’ll get it done.”
- Andrew Nembhard set the tone for the Pacers by consistently challenging Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez, driving to the basket on offense and double teaming them on defense, per Gregg Doyel of The Indianapolis Star. Nembhard’s fearlessness will be needed in what’s expected to be an extremely physical series, Doyel adds.
- The Pacers’ strategy on Antetokounmpo was successful in Game 1 as he scored 36 points but only had one assist, observes Dustin Dopirak of The Indianapolis Star. Myles Turner called the defensive effort “decent,” but said there was too much fouling and too many mistimed double teams. Dopirak points out that the approach might not work as well once Damian Lillard returns, which is expected to happen in Game 2 or 3.
Central Notes: Jerome, Mitchell, Mathurin, Pistons
Two major injuries hindered important moments in Ty Jerome‘s career. A hip surgery prevented him from playing his senior year in high school, and he was limited to just 15 minutes with Cleveland last season before suffering a season-ending ankle injury.
As Chris Fedor of Cleveland.com writes, Jerome had previously parlayed an impressive Warriors season in 2022/23 into a multiyear deal with the Cavaliers. But Jerome was playing on a two-way contract in Golden State, meaning he was still getting his footing in the league at the time of last season’s injury.
“I was in a very dark place,” Jerome said. “I felt disconnected from the group. I felt alone. I was just kind of here by myself, going into the facility solely to rehab, and then back home to sit on the couch with no plan for how to get better and no real timeline for a return. I’m a hooper. It’s my only hobby. When I’m playing basketball, when I’m able to shoot and work out, I’m just a happier, healthier person.”
Jerome emerged from the situation as one of the Cavaliers’ most pivotal players. He’s averaging 12.5 points per game while shooting 51.6% from the floor and 43.9% from three this season. He went from not being considered as a Sixth Man of the Year candidate at the start of the season to emerging as a potential finalist for the award.
We have more from the Central Division:
- Donovan Mitchell‘s scoring output has dipped this season, but his self-sacrifice this season made the Cavaliers contenders, Joe Vardon of The Athletic writes. “Unselfish MVP, that’s what I call it,” teammate Darius Garland said. Vardon notes that Mitchell’s minutes and shot volume are down as part of a designed and agreed-to plan that allowed Garland and other teammates to step up this season.
- Bennedict Mathurin wasn’t able to play in the Pacers‘ run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season as he recovered from surgery on a torn labrum. As Dustin Dopirak of IndyStar writes, Mathurin remembers watching that run from the sidelines and is eager to help push the Pacers there again and beyond. “It’s huge,” teammate Aaron Nesmith said of having Mathurin back. “I’m excited to see him. He lives for moments like this. He’s a big-time shot taker, big-time shot-maker. He lives for big moments. His presence on the court, his presence at the end of games, throughout the course of the series will be huge for us.”
- Ahead of their first-round playoff series, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post analyzes how the Pistons and Knicks helped build each other’s rosters through a series of trades and free agents swapping places. The Pistons acquired the draft rights to Jalen Duren from New York in a 2022 deal that sent the Knicks one of the first-rounders they later traded for Mikal Bridges. Meanwhile, after acquiring Quentin Grimes from the Knicks at the 2024 trade deadline, the Pistons flipped him to Dallas last offseason in a deal for Tim Hardaway Jr., who started 77 games this season.
G League’s All-Defensive, All-Rookie Teams Unveiled
The NBA has officially announced (via Twitter) the G League’s All-Defensive Team for the 2024/25 season. Here’s the full five-player list:
All-NBA G League Defensive Team
- Braxton Key, Santa Cruz Warriors
- Ibou Badji, Wisconsin Herd (Bucks‘ affiliate)
- Isaiah Miller, Austin Spurs
- Isaac Nogues, Rip City Remix (Trail Blazers‘ affiliate)
- Moses Brown, Westchester Knicks
The top rookies of the NBAGL season were also unveiled on Thursday (Twitter link). They are as follows:
All-NBA G League Rookie Team
- Trey Alexander, Grand Rapids Gold (Nuggets‘ affiliate)
- Daniss Jenkins, Motor City Cruise (Pistons‘ affiliate)
- Jahmir Young, Windy City Bulls
- RayJ Dennis, Indiana Mad Ants (Pacers‘ affiliate, which has been rebranded as the Noblesville Boom)
- David Jones Garcia, Mexico City Capitanes (not affiliated with an NBA team)
Key, who was recently promoted to a standard contract with Golden State, was named the NBAGL’s Defensive Player of the Year, while Alexander won Rookie of the Year. Badji, who recently signed with a Spanish club, and Nogues, who has declared for the 2025 NBA draft, finished second and third in DPOY voting, respectively. Jones Garcia was the runner-up for ROY, with Young finishing third.
As our tracker shows, Alexander, Jenkins, Young and Dennis are on two-way contracts with their respective NBA clubs.
Journeyman center Brown also earned a spot on the All-NBA G League Second Team, while Alexander made the Third Team.