Milwaukee Bucks

On paper the health of the Bucks was not a major contributor to the team’s disappointing 2023-24 campaign. The team dropped their injury total by 90 games from the previous season and finished with the fourth fewest games lost to injury or illness in the NBA. However, a deeper dive into things prove injuries played a bigger role than it appears. Newly acquired Damian Lillard admitted his conditioning wasn’t up to its usual level after an uncertain offseason. Khris Middleton entered the year recovering from knee surgery and was plagued by recurring Achilles and ankle issues, resulting in 17 missed games. Still the most impactful injury was a late season soleus strain for Giannis Antetokounmpo that kept him out of all six of Milwaukee’s playoff games. His absence marked the second straight season he missed time during the postseason.

Still Head Athletic Trainer Scott Faust and Vice President of Performance Dr. Troy Flanagan remain a highly-ranked staff and will look to continue their recent success in the year ahead. Lillard made dramatic changes to his diet and conditioning in the offseason and should be in line for a steadier second season with the Bucks. Giannis once again appears in top form after a summer spent representing Greece at the Paris Olympics. Middleton remains the big question mark as he underwent ankle surgeries on both ankle over the summer and is expected to miss the start of the year.