Day: May 3, 2024

Giannis Antetokoumpo was unable to appear in the first round of the Milwaukee Bucks’ series against the Indiana Pacers due to a calf injury.

Antetokoumpo’s status heading into Game 6 was slightly more promising, but he was ruled out.

“I tried my best to come back to help my teammates,” Antetokounmpo said Friday. “It’s kind of hard to see them being out there and not being able to help them, but I just couldn’t.

“I did all the tests I had to do, these like protocols you have to follow and have to check the boxes. I wasn’t even close at checking the boxes.”

Antetokoumpo suffered the injury at the end of the regular season and last played on April 9th.

Antetokoumpo missed multiple playoff games last season as well with a back injury.

Antetokounmpo was asked if he might change his approach next season.

“I don’t know. Maybe I do follow a different pattern,” Antetokounmpo said. “Maybe try different things. I don’t like the word ‘rest.’ Like, if I can play, I will play. If I cannot play, I can’t play.

“I’m for sure going to sit down and think about it, of how my summer is going to look like and how next year is going to look like.”

The Los Angeles Clippers would like to retain Tyronn Lue on a long-term contract and it is unlikely a scenario would manifest that would allow him to become head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers.

“I don’t believe it is realistic based on this: Ty Lue still has a year left on his contract,” said Adrian Wojnarowski. And the Clippers are determined to a long-term deal with Ty Lue, I’m told. They want him to be their head coach for a very long time. That is a conversation that will happen after the playoffs are over, but they love the job he did this season. They love the job he’s done there.

“This is an organization by all indications, however this series ends up, wants to re-sign Paul George, James Harden. Try to improve this roster around those two and Kawhi Leonard. And Ty Lue will still be the head coach for them.”

The Lakers previously offered Lue their head coaching job in 2019, but were unable to agree to contract terms.

The Los Angeles Lakers have parted ways with Darvin Ham as head coach after two seasons with the franchise.

Ham guided the Lakers to the Western Conference in his first season. In Year 2, the Lakers won the In-Season Tournament and lost to the Denver Nuggets in the first round. The Lakers went 90-74 during the regular season with Ham.

Ham had two seasons remaining on his contract at approximately $5 million per year.

The Lakers previously fired Frank Vogel after three seasons with the club.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley had a confrontation with Indiana Pacers fans seated behind the Bucks bench. Beverley appeared to throw a basketball at the fans twice as Milwaukee was wrapping up a season-ending loss in Indiana.

Beverley took to Twitter/X after the game to post “Not Fair at all. Exchanged between a fan and our ball club all night. We warned and asked for help all night. Not fair.”

The NBA has regularly fined players for throwing items, including balls, into the stands.

Milwaukee Bucks guard Patrick Beverley refused to allow an ESPN producer to be a part of postgame interviews following the Bucks season-ending loss to the Indiana Pacers on Thursday. Beverley asked producer Malinda Adams if she was subscribed to his podcast. When Adams said she was not, Beverley said “You can’t interview me then.”

As another reporter asked Beverley a question, the Bucks guard asked Adams to leave the interview circle entirely. Beverley again stated that Adams couldn’t be a part of the interview because she’s not subscribed to his podcast.

Other local reporters shared that this behavior is nothing new for Beverley. He’s apparently taken the same stance with others since his arrival in Milwaukee following the trade deadline.