Giannis Antetokounmpo sat in silence at Bankers Fieldhouse, rehabbing his calf to potentially return for the Bucks in the playoffs. However, his co-star Lillard's Achilles injury put pressure on the team to win games. Despite an inspired victory in Game 5, the Bucks fell short without Antetokounmpo and were eliminated in Game 6, facing questions about their future.
Lillard joined the Bucks with high expectations but faced challenges adjusting to a new team, being far from home, and meshing with Antetokounmpo on the court. The trade that brought Lillard to Milwaukee backfired as the Bucks lost key players and failed to make a deep playoff run.
Doc Rivers took over as the Bucks' coach midseason, aiming to strengthen their defense and establish a stronger connection between Lillard and Antetokounmpo. Despite minor improvements, the Bucks struggled to find success with their top stars, raising concerns about the team's future direction.