The Milwaukee Bucks are gearing up for a high-stakes showdown with the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2025 NBA Playoffs—a rematch brimming with unfinished business. Last season, the Pacers stunned the Bucks by knocking them out in six games. But this time, there’s a major difference: Giannis Antetokounmpo is back.
The two-time MVP missed the entire 2024 series with a strained left calf, but he’s returned with a vengeance. Giannis heads into the playoffs on a tear, having averaged a triple-double—27.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 10.0 assists—over the final three games of the regular season. That dominant stretch earned him NBA Player of the Week honors for Week 25, as Milwaukee swept past the Timberwolves, Pelicans, and Pistons.
Now in his ninth All-NBA season, Antetokounmpo put up MVP-caliber numbers once again: 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 6.5 assists across 67 games, while shooting an efficient 60.1% from the field. Though his perimeter and free-throw shooting remain a work in progress, his overall impact is undeniable.
The Bucks are determined to rewrite their recent playoff narrative. Since their 2021 championship triumph over the Phoenix Suns, they’ve fallen short each year—losing to the Celtics in the second round (2022), the Heat in the first round (2023), and the Pacers again last year. Giannis, a future Hall of Famer, has appeared in 79 playoff games, averaging 26.6 points, 12.0 rebounds, and 5.2 assists.
With a healthy superstar and a chip on their shoulder, the Bucks are aiming for redemption—and possibly another deep playoff run. The question now is: how far can Giannis carry them this time?
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