Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was helped off the court in the second half of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals after suffering a left knee injury. 

Replays showed his leg bending in an unnatural way as he jumped near the basket. The Bucks ultimately ruled him out for the remainder of the game with a hyperextended knee, per Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium.

Giannis appears to have injured his leg.

Prayers up 🙏 https://t.co/cHZXCIsBEd

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 30, 2021

After the game, Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters he didn't have an update on his star player's injury, saying "we'll see how he is tomorrow." Malika Andrews of ESPN reported Antetokounmpo would have further imaging on the knee on Wednesday. Farbod Esnaashari of Sports Illustrated reported sources within the Bucks organization fear Giannis suffered a "severe ACL injury."

Even though there's been no indication in his performance of any physical issues, Budenholzer told reporters prior to Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals that Antetokounmpo has been dealing with tightness in his calf. 

Budenholzer was able to play Antetokounmpo 41 minutes in Milwaukee's 113-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks on June 27. He finished the game with 33 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. 

Antetokounmpo missed 11 games during the regular season, including six straight from April 3-14 with a sprained left knee. The two-time NBA MVP has been fantastic this postseason, averaging 29.2 points on 54.6 percent shooting and 13.0 rebounds in 14 starts.

The Bucks have a deep well of talent around Antetokounmpo, but everything they do on both ends of the floor runs through the five-time All-Star. His absence will likely increase the playing time for veteran forward Bobby Portis.

ATLANTA—For the first two-plus quarters of Tuesday’s Game 4 tilt between Atlanta and Milwaukee, we saw what the Hawks looked like without their best player Trae Young, who was out after suffering a bone bruise to his right foot in the Hawks’ Game 3 loss. 

The Milwaukee Bucks found themselves in a similar predicament with 7:14 to play in the third quarter on Tuesday when two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo went down with a hyperextended left knee injury that kept him from returning.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkA52V2obe0

Their injuries, an unfortunate, but all too common, trend this year in the playoffs with star players, creates a combination of added concerns and opportunities for teams. 

Those opportunities and their impact become amplified in the playoffs, a time when role players either step up and meet the moment head-on, or shrivel up under the increased pressure.

As important as Young and Antetokounmpo have been to their respective teams as their go-to players, there have been players for both Atlanta and Milwaukee who at times have shined in leading roles. 

In Milwaukee’s Game 3 win, it was Khris Middleton—not Antetokounmpo or Young—who was the best player on the floor and, truth be told, the ultimate difference-maker with 20 of his game-high 38 points coming in the fourth quarter.

On Tuesday, Lou Williams dropped a game-high 21 points for the Hawks on a super-efficient 7-of-9 shooting night from the field to go with eight assists and just one turnover.

Williams has been among the NBA’s best reserves for years, evident by him winning the league’s Sixth Man of the Year award three times (2015, 2018 and 2019).

But his performance had added significance not because of how he played, but more so how he played when the pressure to win was at its highest. 

That’s why when it comes to figuring out whether it’s stars that make the playoffs, or playoffs make stars, the latter wins out overwhelmingly. 

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And the reason? 

Because being a playoff standout brings about a different kind of credibility than those whose best days are ahead of the playoffs. 

Take Williams for example. 

Outside of his first two NBA seasons, the 31-year-old has been a double-digit scorer every year he has been in the NBA. He has scored more than 15,000 career points.

And yet, if the Hawks manage to get past the Bucks and on to the NBA Finals, his past accolades will pale in comparison to what he did Tuesday by filling in for an injured Young to lead Atlanta to a 2-2 series tie heading back to Milwaukee for Game 5. 

On the flipside, you have the Bucks and their other All-Star, Middleton. 

He is not going to blow you away with his foot speed, or play above the rim. And his ball-handling, while much improved from where it was a couple years ago, is never going to draw comparisons to the likes of Kyrie Irving or any other top-tier (or second-tier) ankle-breaking playmaker. 

But more nights than not, Middleton has proven himself to be just as good—and on some nights better—than any other player on the floor. 

He entered Game 4 averaging 23.1 points in the playoffs this season, to go with 7.9 rebounds (a career-high for him in the postseason) and 4.7 assists per game.   

And as this series moves on, it’s becoming clearer that the team to move on will be the team whose players do the best job of making the pivot from solid role player to playoff superstar. 

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The Latest on Young, Antetokounmpo Injuries

It’s unclear if Young sitting out Game 4 was just a one-game deal, or whether he’ll be sidelined for the rest of the series.

After Game 4, Atlanta interim head coach Nate McMillan said Young will be a game-time decision for Game 5. 

There’s a higher level of uncertainty and concern surrounding Antetokounmpo, who had 14 points, eight rebounds and three assists before his injury ended his night Tuesday.

Following the game, Antetokounmpo walked toward the team bus with a noticeable limp, clearly putting as little weight on it as possible. ESPN’s Malika Andrews reported that Antetokounmpo will undergo an MRI upon returning to Milwaukee. 

While parallels can certainly be drawn between the two stars suffering injuries, there’s one distinct difference.  

When Young suffered his injury near the end of the third quarter of Game 3, he would eventually return to the floor only to spend the final minute or so of the game on the Hawks bench. 

Antetokounmpo’s injury happened about midway through the third quarter of Game 4, but unlike Young, Antetokounmpo did not return. 

As Antetokounmpo laid on the baseline near the Atlanta Hawks bench for several seconds, he was eventually helped to his feet before limping off the floor with the aid of the Bucks medical staff and his brother, Thanasis Antetokounmpo.

 When Antetokounmpo left the floor, Atlanta led 62-52.   

It took the Hawks less than three minutes to double their lead, to 74-54.

A Bucks source indicated Antetokounmpo would not have been able to return to Game 4 after the injury, regardless of the score.   

While coaches and players are mixed on the role that momentum from one game to another means, there is no denying the Hawks head back to Milwaukee feeling confident in their play, with or without Young available.

In a series that may be determined by which role players can morph into one-night wonders and become stars, the Hawks appear to have a few more options to take on that role than the Bucks. 

Meanwhile, Antetokounmpo’s uncertain status for Game 5 puts an even greater premium on Middleton, who has shown himself to be the best player on the floor at times even when Young and Antetokounmpo are healthy.

Middleton, who had 16 points in Game 4, has shown the ability to get jacuzzi-hot with his shot-making regardless of what teams try to do defensively.

“A guy like (Middleton), when he's in that type of zone or just that type of player, the best defense is you don't allow him to catch it,” Hawks interim head coach Nate McMillan said prior to Game 4. “That's the first—do your work early and try to deny his catch or force that catch out. Then if he gets hot, you need to send help to him.”

That becomes easier to accomplish without having to worry about Antetokounmpo.

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The Bigger Picture

What we are seeing now is the fragility of being a championship-contending team in the NBA.

The Eastern Conference Finals by no means has a patent on key players missing games with injuries. 

Their Western Conference brethren, the Phoenix Suns and the Los Angeles Clippers, both have made it to the conference finals in spite of missing key players along the journey. 

The Clippers have been getting it done without Kawhi Leonard, their best player, since Game 4 of their second-round series against the Utah Jazz. 

Fellow Clippers All-Star Paul George has been the team’s go-to guy in Leonard’s absence, but role players like Reggie Jackson and Terance Mann have been pivotal in the short-handed Clippers managing to keep their season alive. 

Meanwhile, the Suns came away with wins in Games 1 and 2 without Chris Paul, who was a top-five finisher this year for the league’s MVP award. His absence opened the door for reserve Cameron Payne, who averaged 20 points and nine assists while filling in for Paul.

Payne’s strong play served as yet another reminder of how the playoffs can create stars whose play meets the moment. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo loves him some Khris Middleton. 

And for good reason. Middleton was superb in Milwaukee's 113-102 win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night, scoring 20 of his 38 points in the fourth quarter. 

Afterward, the Greek Freak had nothing but praise for his teammate:

Giannis — full of praise for Khris Middleton’s 4th Q — says he and Khris were chatting about how long they planned to play for. Giannis said he told Khris: “The day you retire is going to be the toughest day of my career.”

“He’s special for a reason and he showed it tonight.”

— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) June 28, 2021

"It was freaking unbelievable," Antetokounmpo added of Middleton's fourth quarter. "Carried the team at the end. He turned the ball over like two times and after that he was locked in. Like, 'Pass me the ball,' and we gave him the ball. ... We know when to set screens for him, we know when he wants the ball, and that was the moment. We were like, 'Get the hell out of the way, get him the ball, take us home Khris.' And that's what he did."

“What I saw today was unbelievable. For me, it was greatness. Simple as that.”

Giannis on Middleton’s Game 3 performance. https://t.co/UuW6KN4Ido

— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 28, 2021

Middleton was indeed excellent, shooting 15-of-26 from the floor and 6-of-12 from three. For good measure, he added 11 rebounds and seven assists. 

The Bucks go as Middleton goes. In this year's playoffs they are 7-1 when Middleton scores 20 or more points and just 3-3 when he fails to hit the 20-point mark. 

He was one of Game 3's major storylines. The other was Trae Young, who injured his right ankle late in the third quarter after accidentally stepping on an official's foot. 

Trae Young heads to the locker room with an apparent ankle injury

Prayers up 🙏 https://t.co/KqbwUuUHMr

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 28, 2021

When he left the game, the Hawks were up 85-82. While he would eventually return in the fourth quarter, he was clearly hobbled and Milwaukee took advantage, outscoring the Hawks 31-17 following the injury. 

If Young is hobbled the rest of the series or unable to play, the Hawks are in serious trouble. They simply can't replace the 29.4 points and 9.9 assists Young has been averaging in the postseason. He's been ascendant. 

But on Sunday night, at least, Middleton's star shone brightest. 

Two weeks ago, the Milwaukee Bucks were a game away from elimination and Mike Budenholzer's job was on the line.

Now, they're two games away from the NBA Finals.

Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 33 points and Khris Middleton added 38, as the Bucks scored a 113-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The Bucks hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. 

Trae Young scored 35 to lead the Hawks, but no other Atlanta starter had more than 13 points.

Notable Stats

Bucks

F Giannis Antetokounmpo: 33 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists
F Khris Middleton: 38 points, 11 rebounds, 7 assists

Hawks

G Trae Young: 35 points, 4 assists

Khris Middleton Exorcising Playoff Demons

Milwaukee fell short in two successive postseasons as Antetokounmpo's supporting cast, which includes Middleton, failed to provide enough support to push the team over the hump.

With the offseason acquisition of Jrue Holiday, the Bucks added someone they thought could better fill that role. But on Sunday night, Middleton looked more than capable of playing the role of the second star alongside Antetokounmpo.

In Game 3, Middleton scorched the back of the net, stepped into the spotlight and perhaps exorcised those postseason demons once and for all. Twenty of his 38 points came in the fourth quarter, highlighted by a run where he scored eight of Milwaukee's 10 points as the Bucks went from down seven to up three with 5:13 remaining.

This performance can be added to his 38-point effort in Game 6 and 35-point night in Game 3 against Brooklyn as moments he's come up huge when the Bucks needed him most in this playoff run. He also hit a game-winner in overtime against the Miami Heat in Game 1 of the first round and hit the winning bucket, also in overtime, against the Nets in Round 2.

Middleton hasn't always been the type of star who can put together these performances every night.

His 6-of-23 outing in Game 1 can attest to that. But that's fine now. Middleton can be brilliant on some nights, shaky on others—and Holiday's hopefully going to be able to pick up the slack on nights where he can't quite fit the bill.

There wasn't any question where the second-in-command performance was coming from Sunday, though. 

Trae Can't Do It Alone...

...even though he can get pretty close. Young atoned for his ugly Game 2 effort with a brilliant scoring performance in Game 3, but the fact he finished with just four assists should tell you all you need to know about his supporting cast. 

Bogdan Bogdanovic, playing through a knee injury, has been dealing with some struggles lately. Bogdanovic shot 3-of-16 from the floor, leaving him at a robust 28.3 percent. He hasn't scored more than eight points since Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

John Collins was 6-of-8 from the floor but spent all night in foul trouble. With Lou Williams failing to provide a prolonged spark off the bench in 18 minutes and Kevin Huerter putting together an average effort from beyond the arc, Young had nowhere to turn but himself when it came to scoring.

These Hawks have played a Young-centric style all season, yes, but their playoff run has been defined by the role players stepping up. Two straight games, they've failed in that task. 

Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo will play in Sunday's Game 3 matchup against the Atlanta Hawks despite dealing with a calf injury.

Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters Antetokounmpo is undergoing treatment but is expected to be "fine." He has been listed as probable on the injury report.

It's unclear when Antetokounmpo suffered the injury. He had 25 points, nine rebounds and six assists in 29 minutes in Milwaukee's Game 2 victory. 

The two-time reigning MVP has missed time with occasional injuries this season but has not been absent for long. He's played in 74 of the Bucks' 85 games this season (regular season and playoffs) and is averaging 28.9 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists during the postseason. 

The Bucks cannot make the Finals without Antetokounmpo in the lineup, so his health will be paramount for the remainder of the series.

Leading up to the Milwaukee Bucks' 125-91 win over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday at Fiserv Forum, the big story of the series was Giannis Antetokounmpo's free-throw routine.

Fans first drew attention to the two-time MVP's unusually long regimen at the line in Miami, where the now-common count erupted through the stands before Giannis released the ball.

After hearing about it throughout Antetokounmpo's first- and second-round matchups against the Heat and Brooklyn Nets, the league dumped fuel on the fire when it admitted in a Last Two Minutes report that he should've been called for two 10-second violations late in Game 1.

After going for 25 points, nine boards and six assists in 29 minutes of this 34-point drubbing of the Hawks on Friday, it's time to move on.

The nitpicking of Antetokounmpo's routine and his 56.2 percent conversion rate at the line has clouded a playoff-long dominance that suggests he may be the best player still standing.

Thanks to highly publicized team flameouts in 2019 and 2020, Giannis' two MVP awards weren't enough to establish that. Now, with playoff averages of 28.9 points, 13.2 rebounds and 5.5 assists per game—and with Kawhi Leonard still nursing a knee injury out West—it's an easier argument to make.

No one in league history has matched or exceeded those marks over a single playoff run. And by the way, Giannis' career playoff numbers are unprecedented too.

In today's take-hungry media culture, the focus is often more on a player's shortcomings than anything else. We've gotten so used to Giannis' gaudy numbers that missed threes, long free-throw routines and Milwaukee's four playoff losses seem to be getting more attention than his absurd production and a relatively clear path to a title.

The Los Angeles Clippers are the only team left that had better championship odds than the Bucks in the days leading up to the playoffs. And, as already mentioned, their best player remains out. And even if Leonard is able to come back, there have to be questions about the strength and reliability of that sprained right knee.

There are certainly arguments to be made for a healthy Kawhi or Paul George. Chris Paul is showing his ability to seize control of a game, and Devin Booker has had some incredibly productive nights. After Game 1 of this series, plenty were rightfully extolling Trae Young.

No one on that list has won an NBA MVP award, let alone two. No one on that list has the statistical profile of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with a dash of extra assists. None of those players' teams come anywhere near Milwaukee's 71.4 winning percentage over the last three seasons.

It's probably fair for prognosticators to be gun-shy about picking the Bucks, especially after the last two postseasons and this series opener against Atlanta. At a certain point, though, it's hard to ignore what they and Giannis are doing.

In Game 2, Giannis was 11-of-15 inside of the three-point line. He attacked the paint with the strength of a freight train and the gracefulness of...a deer.

GIANNIS TOO SMOOTH 😤 https://t.co/TFeRXrpKmR

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 26, 2021

The first-quarter highlight above will be the most common from this blowout, but it was far from Antetokounmpo's only awe-inspiring move.

In the second quarter, he spun into the paint, stopped on a dime and scored on Clint Capela with a traditional up-and-under.

In the third, after outletting the ball to Khris Middleton, Giannis hit some kind of turbo booster to fly from around three-quarters court to the three-point line (and past multiple Hawks), where he caught the ball, took two giant strides and finished around Bogdan Bogdanovic.

He was 0-of-3 from three, but he wasn't settling for that shot nearly as much as he has in other games. Atlanta clearly planned to give him some space when he caught the ball outside, and Giannis generally used that as a runway to the paint rather than an invitation to shoot.

There is some value in keeping defenses honest (just ask Philadelphia 76ers fans), but the more aggressive Giannis is, the more effective he is.

"Every time he gets the ball below the free-throw line, he is unstoppable," Charles Barkley said on Inside the NBA.

On the air, he and Shaquille O'Neal have long fought against the ongoing three-point revolution, but it's hard to disagree with their insistence that Antetokounmpo focus on what he can do inside.

Seemingly every rotation player on the Bucks had struggled from the outside heading into Game 2, but that was bound to change at some point. For Jrue Holiday, Brook Lopez and Pat Connaughton, who combined to shoot 9-of-12 from three on Friday, it did. A breakout should still be on the way for Khris Middleton.

If Milwaukee can get anywhere near its regular-season level from deep (it shot 38.9 percent from three compared to 30.9 percent in the playoffs), it should be enough to balance what Giannis brings as a supercharged slasher.

Scheme and numbers aside, though, this postseason presents the opportunity for a familiar NBA character arc.

Like Michael Jordan, LeBron James or other stars before him, Giannis has had to take his playoff lumps. Cases like Magic Johnson (who won a title as a rookie) or Larry Bird (who won his first in Year 2) are rare. After 2019 and 2020, Giannis has his battle scars. And that experience should serve him well against a relatively inexperienced field.

This final four still feels unpredictable, but the majority of the Phoenix Suns and Hawks are already further in the postseason than they've ever been. The Clippers have some individual players with deep playoff runs. But Kawhi is hurt, and the organization is in its first conference finals.

Perceptions can change from game to game during the playoffs, but Giannis suddenly feels like as safe a bet as anyone.

The Milwaukee Bucks bounced back from a stunning Game 1 loss to the Atlanta Hawks to notch a 125-91 Game 2 victory in the Eastern Conference Finals at Fiserv Forum to even the series at 1-1. 

Two nights after Trae Young poured in 48 points in a 116-113 road win, the Bucks held the Atlanta star to 15 points as Milwaukee's Giannis Antetokounmpo went off for 25 points in 29 minutes.    

Giannis' reaction to this Thanasis dunk 😂 https://t.co/cZLYqaR0Mk

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 26, 2021

A Milwaukee team that hasn't reached the NBA Finals since 1974 will now try to steal a road game at State Farm Arena as the series shifts to Atlanta for Games 3 and 4. 

Notable Performers

Giannis Antetokounmpo, SF, Milwaukee Bucks: 25 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals

Jrue Holiday, PG, Milwaukee Bucks: 22 points, 7 assists, 3-of-4 three-pointers

Trae Young, PG, Atlanta Hawks: 15 points, 3 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals

John Collins, PF, Atlanta Hawks: 11 points, 8 rebounds

                        

Atlanta's Second-Quarter Meltdown

The Bucks proved they could compete with the Hawks for a full 48 minutes, but there were five minutes in the second quarter that really cost Atlanta an opportunity to go up 2-0 in the series. 

Milwaukee outscored the Hawks 43-17 to go into the locker room with a more than 30-point lead, as a shellshocked Hawks club tried to figure out what just happened. 

Really, it wasn't that hard to dissect. 

20-0 @BUCKS RUN ON TNT.

FISERV FORUM IS HYPED.#ThatsGame #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/l4vn7r2dmx

— NBA (@NBA) June 26, 2021

After Young drilled a 23-foot pull-up jumper with 6:25 remaining, Atlanta went on to miss five consecutive shots. Over five minutes, Young also committed three turnovers on consecutive possessions, including one right after a Hawks timeout. Each turnover led to an easy Bucks basket. 

Khris Middleton picks off Trae 👀

Bucks are rolling early https://t.co/h9tpLUQBFD

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 26, 2021

It didn't help that Young was pressing on offense as much as possible, taking 11 shots outside of the paint and just five in the lane. He finished the night 6-of-16 from the field (1-of-8 from three), a shadow of the player who tormented the Bucks in Game 1. 

Meanwhile, Milwaukee had four players score in double figures, won the points-in-the-paint battle 62-30 and nailed 15 three-pointers to Atlanta's nine. 

Good to have you back, Cam 🙌 pic.twitter.com/vrXTqvUuX8

— Atlanta Hawks (@ATLHawks) June 26, 2021

BROOK on BOTH ENDS! 🔨🚫@Bucks 57@ATLHawks 40#NBAPlayoffs on TNT pic.twitter.com/pxGhm3SHNF

— NBA (@NBA) June 26, 2021

A combination of a cold-shooting Hawks offense that routinely settled for shots and a Bucks team desperate to avoid an 0-2 deficit proved to be more than Atlanta could overcome. 

Whatever good vibes the Hawks had after stealing Game 1 were wiped away. As the series moves to Atlanta, it's the Bucks carrying the momentum. 

        

Giannis Dialed In

Antetokounmpo barely took four minutes to show he was dialed in. 

With 7:50 to play in the first quarter, he spun under the outstretched arm of Solomon Hill, fooling Clint Capela by pump-faking with one hand mid-flight before laying the ball in softly.

GIANNIS TOO SMOOTH 😤 https://t.co/TFeRXrpKmR

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 26, 2021

The move begs for a slow-motion replay to admire it in its full beauty. 

It was also the type of moment Antetokounmpo would pull off possession after possession. Part of the reason for that was the Greek Freak's insistence on driving to score rather than settling for three-pointers like he did in a second-round series against the Brooklyn Nets.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's spin move in is a thing of beauty.

It's even prettier in #PhantomCam.#ThatsGame pic.twitter.com/PRWzZVz3oL

— NBA (@NBA) June 26, 2021

Jrue caps his dazzling 1st half in STYLE 🔥

19 PTS
8-12 FGM@Bucks rolling in Game 2 on TNT. pic.twitter.com/rud4KaX1CN

— NBA (@NBA) June 26, 2021

Antetokounmpo took just three attempts from beyond the arc Friday after attempting two in Game 1. He has yet to hit from behind the arc in the conference finals, but that hardly mattered. All but five of his 18 field-goal attempts came in the lane. Nine of his 11 makes came at the rim, where there was nothing Atlanta could do to stop him. 

If this is the Milwaukee's plan of attack to get to the NBA Finals, it's one the team may be able to rely on. After all, Antetokounmpo was a back-to-back league MVP.

PJ's reaction after this Giannis bucket 😂 https://t.co/CnABd982vK

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 26, 2021

Few players in the world are capable of stopping Antetokounmpo when he's at the rim. Even with Capela and Collins roaming the paint, Atlanta showed it's going to have a tough time slowing him down. 

Unfortunately, the Hawks only have two days to figure out how to do it. 

          

What's Next? 

Game 3 moves to State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Tipoff is slated for 8:30 p.m. ET Sunday on TNT. 

The Atlanta Hawks want to see officials enforce the rules if Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to take an extended period of time before attempting his free throws.

Per Sam Amick of The Athletic, the Hawks "are not happy that the league" seemed to look the other way when the Milwaukee Bucks star took a long time during his warm-up routine before attempting a free throw in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

The NBA's Last Two Minute Report from Wednesday's game showed Antetokounmpo should have been called for 10-second violations on both of his free-throw attempts with 5.3 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. 

Instead, Antetokounmpo made two free throws to cut Milwaukee's deficit to one point. The Hawks held on for a 116-113 win, though.

Per Amick, an NBA spokesman "cited the league's long-standing policy of not publicly commenting on the officiating regarding an individual player" when asked about the non-calls involving Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo's free throws have drawn a great deal of attention this postseason because of his extensive warm-up routine. He's been called for 10-second violations twice: in Game 1 of the first round against the Miami Heat and Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Brooklyn Nets.

Given that the Hawks appear to be venting their frustrations, it's possible the officials will keep a close eye on Antetokounmpo in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo's extensive setup routine on free-throw attempts has been an ongoing storyline this postseason, but the Milwaukee Bucks star got away with two 10-second violations late in Wednesday's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Per ESPN's Tim Bontemps, the NBA's last-two minute report from the game showed Antetokounmpo should have been called for violations on each of his two free-throw attempts with 5.3 seconds remaining. 

Antetokounmpo made both of his attempts to cut the Bucks' deficit to one point, but they would ultimately lose 116-113. 

The 10-second violation has been following Antetokounmpo around all postseason. His first one came in Game 1 of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs against the Miami Heat. 

Milwaukee held a 97-96 lead with 1:06 remaining in the fourth quarter when the officials called Antetokounmpo for a violation before he attempted a second free throw. 

Miami tied the score at 99 on a Jimmy Butler layup as time expired to force overtime. The Bucks would go on to win the game and eventually sweep the Heat, but the call established a precedent that everyone has kept a close eye on. 

During the Bucks' second-round series against the Brooklyn Nets, fans at the Barclays Center regularly counted beyond 10 in an attempt to distract Antetokounmpo. He was called for a violation in the second quarter of Game 3, though that game was played on Milwaukee's home floor. 

Giannis was called for a 10-second violation at the free-throw line. pic.twitter.com/tTlRWxtmnI

— ESPN (@espn) June 11, 2021

Free-throw shooting is not a strength of Antetokounmpo's game. Since making a career-high 77 percent of his attempts during the 2016-17 season, the two-time NBA MVP has only connected 70.3 percent of the time from the charity stripe. 

In 12 games this postseason, Antetokounmpo is only making 55.4 percent of his free throws on 8.4 attempts per contest. 

The issues haven't significantly hurt the Bucks thus far, considering they are still playing and are just one round away from reaching the NBA Finals. But Antetokounmpo could end up making a costly mistake if the issue persists.