One person, one city! Antetokounmpo broke the curse, but the Bucks "time bomb" is still ticking

On April 26, when the final whistle sounded and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Pacers 117-101 at home, winning the series to 1-2, Giannis Antetokounmpo walked straight to the bench, supporting his knees with his hands and bowing his head to remain silent.

At this moment, the two-time MVP winner finally took off the shackles of 1,080 days - he won the playoffs for the first time since defeating the Celtics on May 12, 2022, ending his humiliating record of seven consecutive losses.

1, 37+12+6! Antetokounmpo used historical data to tear apart the doubts

In this game, Antetokounmpo made 14 of 19 shots, 9 of 10 free throws, and scored 37 points, 12 rebounds and 6 assists, with a plus-negative value of up to +24. In the three-game series, he averaged 35.7 points, 14 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 67.7%, dominating the first place in the playoff scoreboard and rebound list.

What is even more amazing is that he became the first player in NBA history to average 30+10 with a shooting percentage of more than 60% in the first three games of the playoffs, and ranked fifth in the ranks of superstars with the fifth most 30+10+5 times in the playoffs. The dominance behind the data

Inside crushing: Antetokounmpo did not make a three-pointer in this game, and all scores came from the penalty area and the free throw line. No one in the Pacers can defend against its impact alone.

Off and defense integration: Not only did he scored 11 points in the third quarter and led the team to reverse, but he also assisted in defense many times on the defensive end to block the Pacers' fast attack, showing the DPOY-level deterrent power.

Historical Efficiency: Its 67.7% shooting percentage is second only to O'Neal (2000) and James (2017) among the 35+ players per game in the playoffs, but it is responsible for heavier ball-holding tasks.

2. Seven-year itch: From the core of the championship to "surviving the island"

After winning the championship in 2021, a series of operations of the Bucks management have been controversial: fired the champion coach Budenholzer, sending Middleton away for Kuzma, overdrawing future draft picks to trade Lillard...

These decisions directly led to a decline in the team's competitiveness. This season, the Bucks are only fifth in the Eastern Conference, facing the "nemesis" Pacers in the first round (1 win and 4 losses in the regular season), and are even regarded as "lower dog" by the outside world.

Lillard's loss and lineup dilemma

Lillard under the shadow of blood clots: After his comeback, he made a total of 6 of 25 shots, 2 of 15 three-pointers, averaging only 10.5 points per game, and the team's shortcomings on both offense and defense became the team's shortcomings.

Role player fault: Kuzma averaged 7 points per game, Daluo was seriously aging. The only highlight was Trent, who was ordered to be in danger (G3 made 9 of 12 three-pointers and scored 37 points), but the surprises were difficult to become the norm.

Coach trust crisis: The Bucks' defensive efficiency under Rivers coached fell to the middle of the league, and its "reversed attribute" made fans worried.

3, 1080 days: From the peak to the bottom, Antetokounmpo's seven-game losing streak began when he was black-eighted by the Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals, and then failed one after another in the first round of the following two years.

This dark period exposed his fatal injuries on the technical side: lack of stable projection, excessive dependence on the body, and insufficient ability to break double-team.

But the victory in this game proves that he is evolving in a more mature manner:

Response ability improves: 6 assists mostly come from attracting accurate passes after double-teaming, helping Trent set a single-game three-point record in the team's history.

Breakthrough in psychological toughness: When he led the team to a climax of 39-18 in the third quarter, he kept motivating his teammates and changed his previous image as a "silent leader".

Strategic trade-offs: Abandon inefficient three-point attempts, focus on inside kills, and free throw shooting percentage rebounded to 65.7% (series average).

4. Ancient hostility: grudges, love, hatred and fate gear

The grudges between the Bucks and the Pacers can be traced back to the semi-finals of the 2023 Mid-Season Championship. At that time, the Pacers snatched the ball from Antetokounmpo's career night (64 points), which caused the latter to rush into the opponent's locker room to "snatch the ball". Since then, the two teams have been full of gunpowder every time they meet.

Meet again in the first round of this season, Antetokounmpo said, "This is a personal grudge", and the outbreak of G3 is his best response to fate.

5. Future mystery: loyalty or champion?

Despite winning back the game, the Bucks' outlook is still not optimistic. If Lillard continues to be in a downturn, even if he passes the first round, he will have no chance of winning against the Eastern Conference No. 1 Cavaliers in the second round. The more far-reaching problem is:

salary lock: Antetokounmpo's contract has 3 years left, 175 million yuan, and the main players such as Lillard and Daluo all have long contracts, and the team's room for strengthening is almost zero.

Small Market Curse: Milwaukee is difficult to attract top free agents, and has traded overdrafted future draft picks in recent years, and has lacked rebuilding chips.

Historical lesson: Former NBA player Matt Barnes said bluntly: "Letters have contributed everything to the Bucks. If you want to win the championship again, leaving may be the only choice."

Conclusion: The hymns of heroism and the dynasty elegy of Antetokounmpo's 37th-minute night is not only the pinnacle of personal heroism, but also reflects the cruel reality of small market teams.

When the management failed to bet and his teammates were in a fluctuating state, he chose to use the most primitive method - rushing to the basket again and again - to protect the team's dignity.

This victory may not change the trend of the series, but it allows fans to see: even in a desperate situation, a real superstar will never lower his arrogant head.