The second half of the NBA season is underway and the Milwaukee Bucks are looking to make a serious push. They own a 32-24 record and currently sit as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Bucks have been playing good basketball recently, winning four straight games. On Sunday, they defeated the Miami Heat 120-113 with guard Damian Lillard leading the way with 28 points.
Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo continues to play a pivotal role in the success of this team, but he's currently on a minutes restriction. He was asked about it after the game as head coach Doc Rivers played him a little over the set number.
"Nah, nah. If he trusted me, he should have played me 36 minutes. (laughs) He played me 40 seconds more, Antetokounmpo said (h/t Eric Nehm of The Athletic). He just couldn’t get me out, that’s why. He tried to get me out, but he couldn’t. (laughs) But yeah, hopefully moving forward, I don’t like playing with minutes restriction. I don’t know how long this is going to go for, but hopefully, I can get back to playing my regular minutes and my regular rotation, so I can get my rhythm back."
Asked Giannis Antetokounmpo if he appreciated the trust from Doc Rivers to go over his minutes limit tonight and I enjoyed his response.
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) February 24, 2025
Antetokounmpo: https://t.co/72DBdme3ai pic.twitter.com/DWkHsXaWLP
Giannis Antetokounmpo Talks About Minutes Restriction
The Bucks are playing it safe with their best player. In early February, Antetokounmpo suffered a calf strain that forced him to miss a couple of games.
With about two months left in the regular season and teams fighting for playoff positioning, Milwaukee wants to be safe with the superstar forward. The Bucks also have Bobby Portis serving a 25-game suspension so the frontcourt depth has taken a hit.
Even though the nine-time All-Star doesn't like being on this minutes restriction, it's the right call.
This season, Antetokounmpo ranks second in the NBA in scoring (31), sixth in rebounds (12), and seventh in field-goal percentage (61%). He's one of the best players in the league and the Bucks know they need him at full strength to compete down the stretch.