Giannis Antetokounmpo left NBA legend Magic Johnson befuddled while assessing Milwaukee Bucks’ star’s playoff stance

TOI Sports Desk / TIMESOFINDIA.COM / Apr 19, 2025, 09:48 IST

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Magic Johnson initially favored the Pacers due to Damian Lillard's absence but now predicts Giannis Antetokounmpo will carry the Bucks to victory. He emphasizes the need for support from Portis and Lopez, while Halliburton must achieve triple-double averages for the Pacers to compete. The highly anticipated playoff series begins Saturday.

Giannis Antetokounmpo left NBA legend Magic Johnson befuddled while assessing Milwaukee Bucks’ star’s playoff stance

Giannis Antetokounmpo and Magic Johnson. Image via: Patrick McDermott/Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images | Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Magic Johnson predicts Giannis Antetokounmpo will dominate the playoff series against the Pacers but says Bucks need full team effort.
Without Damian Lillard, Magic initially backed the Pacers—but later changed course, picking Giannis to carry the Bucks to victory.
Ahead of Game 1, Magic breaks down the keys for both teams, reflecting on Halliburton’s triple-double potential and Giannis’ leadership.

Magic Johnson is super excited for the NBA playoff as the Los Angeles Lakers legend has been very active on his official X handle sharing his thoughts on different players and teams set to clash the highly anticipated event. Giannis Antetokounmpo who has been a standout for the Milwaukee Bucks makes a strong case for his team in their playoff run, potentially propelling them closer to victory. Ahead of Bucks game against the Indiana Pacers, Johnson gave his honest thoughts on the Greek Freak.

Magic Johnson revealed his thoughts on Giannis Antetokounmpo in the playoff battle

Magic Johnson has recently evaluated the Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo. Taking to X, Johnson wrote, “The Pacers and Bucks played against each other in the Playoffs last season and know each other very well. The Pacers won that series 4-2.”

Johnson has all the reasons to believe that Giannis Antetokounmpo will be the standout player in the series but asserted that the Bucks will need strong contributions from Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, and Kyle Kuzma to compete. He also noted that getting Damian Lillard back would be a huge boost.
On the Pacers' side, he pointed to Tyrese Halliburton as the key, saying he’ll need to average a triple-double and get solid support from Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. Without Lillard in the mix, Magic is leaning toward the Pacers to take the series.
“We know that Giannis will definitely be the best player in this series but he’s going to need plenty of help from Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez, and Kyle Kuzma. Hopefully they can get Dame Lillard back! Halliburton must not only get double-figure assists, he must average a triple-double for the series and get plenty of help from Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. Without Lillard, I’m picking the Pacers to win the Series,” he wrote in another post.

However, Johnson soon make a U-turn as he turned his stance in Bucks’ favor, primarily for the Greek Freak. “I changed my mind, I think Giannis Antetokounmpo will put the Milwaukee Bucks on his back and lead them to victory over the Indiana Pacers!” he wrote.

As both the teams are set for the playoff round 1, game 1 on Saturday at 1 PM ET, anticipations are high among fans.
Also Read: Milwaukee Bucks' Damian Lillard reveals nightmarish blood clot diagnosis and recovery journey as he returns for playoffs

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