Giannis Out for Bucks vs. Pacers NBA Playoffs Game 3 amid Calf Injury Recovery

The Milwaukee Bucks announced Giannis Antetokounmpo is unavailable for Friday's Game 3 matchup with the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the 2024 NBA playoffs.

The two-time MVP will have now missed six straight games due to a strained left calf.

Milwaukee earned a 15-point win in Game 1 against Indiana thanks in large part to Damian Lillard's first-half outburst. He scored 35 points through the first two quarters.

Game 2 presented a much larger warning sign for the Bucks as they forge ahead without their best player.

Lillard's 34 points weren't enough to spare the team from a 17-point loss. Pacers forward Pascal Siakam, against whom Antetokounmpo would probably be matching up, dropped 37 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

Compounding matters, Khris Middleton is questionable for Game 3 because of an ankle injury he picked up Tuesday night.

The Bucks already entered the postseason with major question marks. Their general misfiring to start the year prompted the front office to fire head coach Adrian Griffin, and things didn't improve much once Doc Rivers came aboard.

The injuries to Antetokounmpo and Middleton combined could be the fatal blow to their championship quest.