Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Feeling Grateful That He's Healthy For The Postseason This Time Around

As he discusses his excitement about finally being healthy for the start of a postseason run, Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo compares himself to a certain action movie star.

"I love playing in, how can I say, pressure, stressful situations," Antetokounmpo said this week as the Bucks prepare to open the playoffs Saturday at Indiana. "I'm like Tom Cruise. Have you ever seen the movies, the Tom Cruise movies that he does all the stunts? I think he gets an adrenaline rush. I love being there again."

After missing all of Milwaukee's postseason run last year and part of it the year before - with his absence leading to consecutive first-round exits - Antetokounmpo is back to lead the Bucks as he pursues his second career title.

If it's not quite a mission impossible, it certainly seems improbable.

The Bucks are expected to open the playoffs without seven-time all-NBA guard Damian Lillard, who has been out for the last month with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf. The Bucks are seeded fifth in the Eastern Conference, their lowest playoff position since 2018. BetMGM Sportsbook gives the Bucks only a 37 chance of even getting past their first-round series with the fourth-seeded Pacers.