Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Explains Rotation Plan Without Injured Damian Lillard

Milwaukee has had to tough it out with its All-Star point guard for the last two games.

Dec 17, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34), guard Damian Lillard (0) and center Brook Lopez (11) celebrate after winning the Emirates NBA Cup championship game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Bucks have had to tough it out with All-Star point guard Damian Lillard for the last two games. The 6-foot-2 has been out since the Bucks' 97-81 NBA Cup championship game victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder due to a calf strain. Across 22 bouts this year, the Weber State product is averaging 25.7 points on .450/.371/.916 shooting splits, 7.5 assists, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.0 steals a night.

According to Eric Nehm of The Athletic, eight-time All-NBA Bucks power forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who's been making a case for his third MVP award this season, has been grappling with how to survive without Lillard – himself an eight-time All-Star and seven-time All-NBA honoree — for however long that absence lasts.

After a 124-101 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Friday, Milwaukee righted the ship with a 112-101 Fiserv Forum win against the Washington Wizards the very next night, with both Antetokounmpo and Lillard sitting.

“I think we have great guys that can step up in Ryan (Rollins), (Delon Wright), guys that can come in and handle the ball,” Antetokounmpo said on Friday. “We definitely need somebody that can handle the ball and make plays and put us in position. Khris [Middleton] is definitely going to help, but he’s not a point guard. At times, he’s going to get the ball and make plays and call sets."

Antetokounmpo, who has grown as a passer and playmaker over the last few seasons, was adamant that whichever player is quarterbacking the club's offense sans Lillard needs to find a way to control the game's tempo.

“But you gotta have a point guard that can put us in positions, slow the game down for us sometimes, have the ball down the stretch for us at times," Antetokounmpo noted. "And when we need to play fast, he can speed up the pace for us, just make good decisions overall for us. That’s what Dame does. Not only does he know (how to) score the ball, he puts everybody in position to be successful. We definitely need guys to step up. We have the guys that can step up. I really believe in Ryan; I believe in D-Wright.”

On Saturday, Rollins earned the starting point guard gig from Doc Rivers. Though he notched a discouraging -10 plus-minus, Rollins finished with a solid 14 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field (2-of-5 from deep) and 2-of-3 shooting from the foul line, three rebounds, two assists, and a steal.

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