Over the past few games, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been silent about Milwaukee’s struggles. But he opened up last night against Toronto.
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On Thursday night, the Bucks lost to the Raptors led by Pascal Siakam. Despite the absence of All-Star Kyle Lowry, the Raptors managed to hand the Bucks a tough 110-96 loss. Giannis was, however, level-headed post-game:
“Last year, I would have like been mad and really frustrated and not talked to nobody after the game, but I’m trying to better myself. I’m trying to become a better player, a better person. Realize that it’s a long season. We got 45 games left, we got another one tomorrow, we got playoffs.”
“And I kind of feel, to be honest with you, it kind of feels good. I like facing adversity. I like being down, being knocked down because that’s the only way you improve. If everything always goes well and goes your way, you kind of not know the other side. You don’t feel it.”
“So, now we feel the other side, we feel being down. We can feel losing five in a row, how it feels. We know how it feels when our spirit is not there.”
After the game, @ZoraStephenson asked Giannis Antetokounmpo how he has managed to stay so calm as his team has lost games. Noting that he definitely would not have reacted that way in the past.
Here is @Giannis_An34‘s nearly two and a half minute response: pic.twitter.com/bXEFir0Ppv
— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) February 19, 2021
‘Have to go out there and play good basketball’: Giannis Antetokounmpo
Despite the loss, the Greek Freak had a decent game with a near triple-double. He finished with 23 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists in 37 minutes of action. In his lengthy response to the reporters, the 6-foot-11 forward also stated how he expected his team to play with energy. He also added:
“Don’t get me wrong. It’s not that I’m not frustrated, but it doesn’t worry me as much. We got another one tomorrow. We gotta go out there and play good basketball, play with energy, everybody gotta bring it, the bench gotta bring it, I gotta bring it.”
“And we might not win tomorrow. But our actions, what our actions are about. If our actions are good and we play with, we are competitive when we play, I’m good. I’m good with it.”
The 2-time NBA MVP was selected as an Eastern Conference All-Star starters and will be making his fifth All-Star appearance on 7th March. This season, Giannis has been leading his team while averaging a great 28.2 points, 11.4 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.
