Bucks-Pacers Game 6 Odds Move After Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo Injury Report

Brian Giuffra | May 2, 2024

Dame Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo. / Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

The third-seeded Bucks are clinging for their playoff lives and hoping for reinforcements ahead of Game 6 against the sixth-seeded Pacers on Thursday night. 

It looks like they could get some help, but oddsmakers are guessing both of their stars won’t return from injury. 

NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reported Thursday afternoon that Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) and Damian Lillard (Achilles) are both trying to play tonight but it’s “still unclear if either will be able” to suit up. 

After the news, the spread for Bucks-Pacers moved from Pacers -8.5 to -6.5 at BetMGM Sportsbook. That indicates that at least one of them will play, but likely not both. 

Antetokounmpo is dealing with a strained left calf and hasn’t played since mid-April. Lillard injured his Achilles tendon during in Game 3 and missed Game 4. 

In Game 4, the Pacers were -10 point favorites with both of the Bucks' stars out. The Pacers won that game by 13 to take a 3-1 lead in the series.

The Bucks staved off elimination with a win in Game 5 at home, but now travel back to Indiana where they haven’t won a game in this first-round playoff series. 

The odds movement is substantial enough to warrant belief that either Lillard or Antetokounmpo will play, but it doesn’t seem oddsmakers believe both will. If they did, the line would have moved even lower than Pacers -6.5. 

Antetokounmpo is the longer shot given the precariousness of a calf strain and potential for further injury. 

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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