A fiery park, the Mbappé shadow, Luis Enrique the chemist… Favorites and scratches

by 247sports April 11, 2024

April 11, 2024 0 comment

a-fiery-park,-the-mbappe-shadow,-luis-enrique-the-chemist…-favorites-and-scratches

In an interview with Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill, Lillard opened up about the challenging changes in his life, including the trade and his divorce from the mother of his three children. He shared that this has been the most difficult transition he has ever faced.

We eagerly await the conclusion of their disastrous season, hoping that a worse fate does not await them.

If Antetokounmpo comes back to save the series, there’s not much time left for him to work on his chemistry with a new teammate and a new coach, especially in a season where the Bucks have blamed some team members for their failures. In order to upset the Celtics, who are having a great season, Antetokounmpo needs to fully recover from his calf injury and find a way to work with a team that has been unbalanced all year.

Unfortunately, Antetokounmpo’s injury couldn’t have happened at a more disadvantageous moment. The Milwaukee team still has two games left against the Orlando Magic, who currently hold the third-place spot. As a result, there is a high chance that they may drop to fourth or fifth place. While the play-in tournament will allow the Bucks to have a week of rest, it will be a challenging task to face any number of formidable opponents in the first round without him. This is due to the team’s defensive struggles, as they have given up an average of 118.4 points per game (equivalent to a bottom-three defense) and have been outscored by 5.2 points per 100 possessions when Antetokounmpo is not on the court.

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Profile of the 14th stage of La Vuelta. (The Return)
The last mountain stage before the individual time trial. A day with 1st and 2nd category climbs that culminates in Alto de los Machucos, a special category climb with very hard ramps. The general favorites will have to be attentive and make a difference before the decisive time trial.
Profile of the 15th stage of La Vuelta. (The Return)
This stage will be a 34-kilometer individual time trial through the Salnés region, in Pontevedra. A leg-breaking route with several ups and downs that will test the cyclists' legs. It will be a crucial stage for the general contenders.
Profile of the 16th stage of La Vuelta. (The Return)
The return to Galicia is a day of relaxation for cyclists after two very hard days. This flat stage will be favorable for the sprinters and may be an opportunity for the teams to control the race before the last three mountain stages.
Profile of the 17th stage of La Vuelta. (The Return)
The queen stage of the 24th edition of La Vuelta. A leg-breaking route with five mountain passes, including the fearsome Collados de la Hoz and Gamoniteiro, the latter in a special category with ramps of up to 17%. Without a doubt, a decisive day for cyclists in the fight for the general classification.
Profile of the 18th stage of La Vuelta. (The Return)
The longest stage of the 24th edition of La Vuelta. A broken route with constant ups and downs that can be conducive to getaways. Although there will be no mountain passes of great difficulty, the distance and profile of the stage can make it very tough.
Profile of the 19th stage of La Vuelta. (The Return)
An individual time trial of 40 kilometers through the province of Salamanca. A mostly flat route that will test the speed and endurance of the cyclists. It will be a key stage for the contenders for final victory.
Profile of the 20th stage of La Vuelta. (The Return)
The penultimate stage of La Vuelta 24 will be a tough day, with three first-class mountain passes, including the fearsome Col du Balès in French territory. A demanding route that can be decisive for the aspirations of the cyclists in the general classification.
Profile of the 21st stage of La Vuelta. (The Return)
The last stage of La Vuelta 24 will be an urban circuit in Madrid, with the traditional finish on Paseo de la Castellana. It will be a day of celebration for the cyclists and an opportunity for the sprinters to shine in the last sprint of the race.

“We need to improve. Our playing, defending, trust, coaching, and overall performance must be better. This includes everyone, starting with the equipment manager who needs to wash our clothes better. The bench, team leaders, and everyone else also need to step up and be more vocal. We also need to work on making shots, defending, and strategizing better. We have four months to improve and we will make the most of it.”

In March, Antetokounmpo and Lillard both described this as the most challenging season for them. Antetokounmpo mentioned having surgery on his left knee in June and adapting to changes with Lillard and the coaching staff.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, a recent MRI showed that Antetokounmpo’s Achilles tendon is not structurally damaged. However, he will be absent for the Bucks’ remaining three regular-season games. According to Jeff Stotts of In Street Clothes, a mild strain typically takes 17 days to heal, but a more severe Grade 2 strain can take up to 45 days. This timeline difference could impact his ability to return in the first round versus the conference finals.

On April 9, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, during the second half against the Boston Celtics at the Fiserv Forum, Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks grabbed his left calf, as seen in a photo taken by Stacy Revere/Getty Images.

After being traded for Lillard, Jrue Holiday was redirected to the Boston Celtics, forming a powerful team. Lead assistant Terry Stotts resigned during training camp, after a rumored disagreement with new head coach Adrian Griffin. Following a big defeat against the Atlanta Hawks in the second game of the season, Antetokounmpo reportedly challenged Griffin’s defensive strategies in front of the team. Three games later, the Bucks returned to their previous drop coverage style that was effective under previous head coach Mike Budenholzer.
Despite facing tough competition, Milwaukee was able to maintain their position as second in the standings, trailing only behind Boston. However, a string of losses against lesser teams – the Washington Wizards, Memphis Grizzlies, and Toronto Raptors – put their ranking at risk.After an in-season tournament semifinal loss to the Indiana Pacers in mid-December, Bobby Portis openly challenged Griffin, reportedly joining an internal chorus of criticism. A month later, frustrations went public when Antetokounmpo challenged everyone’s “pride,” including the equipment manager.

The Bucks are limited in their ability to make improvements. They will not have a first-round draft pick until 2031, and their recent picks have not made a big impact. Additionally, key players like Brook Lopez, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton will all be in their mid-30s next season and are owed a significant amount of money. The end of their bench is also made up of players who will soon be free agents. This could result in an already aging team becoming even older and less stable.

The timeframe of “four months to improve” was reduced to four games on Tuesday, as Milwaukee went up against the Celtics, who were significantly ahead in the Eastern Conference by 15 games. Despite a strong start from the Bucks, with a lead of up to 24 points in the first half, the game took a turn when Antetokounmpo suffered a non-contact injury in the third quarter. He grabbed his left calf and had to be helped to the training room.

Since then, the Bucks have faced nothing but misfortune, and Antetokounmpo’s recent left calf strain on Tuesday is the most recent indicator of Milwaukee’s tumultuous season, even though he did not sustain a more severe injury.
The offense may be present on certain nights, but other nights it may not be. However, we must always have a strong defensive effort. Unfortunately, our defensive effort was lacking in this game. There was no sense of pride and our opponents were easily driving to the basket, over-helping, and taking 3-point shots, leading to offensive rebounds. This is not the usual performance from the Milwaukee Bucks, it is not a representation of our team.

The concern at hand is how Antetokounmpo’s mental state may be affected by yet another premature ending to the playoffs. The potential risk of an Achilles injury does little to ease his worries about making the most of his prime. Since their championship victory in 2021, the Bucks have only managed to win one playoff series. In an interview with Tania Ganguli of The New York Times in August, Antetokounmpo expressed his desire to not spend two decades on the same team without winning another championship.

During the fall season last year, the Milwaukee Bucks acquired regular All-Star point guard Damian Lillard and extended a contract for two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo for three years. This solidifies their position as the top pick for winning the 2024 NBA championship and potentially even more.

The previous playing member of the Golden State Warriors, Kevin Durant, experienced an Achilles injury after returning from a strained calf during the 2019 NBA Finals. This may result in a more careful strategy for similar situations. Aside from undergoing arthroscopic surgery in June, Antetokounmpo has also been absent from recent games due to Achilles tendinitis and hamstring soreness in his left leg, as stated by the Bucks.

This was just the start.”I don’t know what it is,” said Rivers, whose team has slipped to 18-20 on the road. “You know, it’s funny, I’ve actually been sitting back and watching everything. Not just our players, but our travel crew, everything, and I’ve made a lot of notes. I will say that, I won’t share that. But we don’t bring the necessary professionalism, seriousness on the road. And that’s something that we’re going to have to fix.”

Several weeks after, the Bucks let go of Griffin and brought in Doc Rivers as his replacement. Rivers openly shared his hesitation in taking on a job that he found to be more challenging than expected. He mentioned that he struggled to motivate the team until the All-Star break, stating that “some guys were here, some guys were in Cabo.”

The post The Bucks have struggled through a difficult season. Is it possible for them to turn things around in the future? appeared first on Americano Sports.