It seemed like the Milwaukee Bucks might turn their rough NBA start around after a strong win over the Utah Jazz, but a recent 116-94 loss to the New York Knicks has the team taking a step back. Following the loss, team leader Giannis Antetokounmpo didn’t hold back, sending a straightforward message to his teammates.
After the win over the Jazz, the Bucks improved to a 2-6 record that offered a glimmer of hope. But the disappointing defeat to the Knicks quickly dimmed that optimism. Following the game, Antetokounmpo was clear in his demands for the team, insisting they bring full effort—or risk being dismantled by the Boston Celtics in their next game.
“Did we compete the previous game? Yes,” Antetokounmpo said per Chris Herring of ESPN. “Did we compete the two [games before that]? Yes. Did we compete today? No,” he said. “… If you don’t compete your a— off, you’re not going to win the game. [You have to] at least give yourself a chance.”
“We came to New York after playing great last night,” he continued. “We come here, we lose by 30. Are you OK with not competing? I know I’m not OK with that s—. We’ve got Boston in two days. We don’t compete, we’re gonna lose by 30.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts on the bench in the second half against the New York Knicks. Elsa/Getty Images
“Teams are not just gonna give us games. They’re not gonna feel bad for us. We’ve gotta compete every single possession. Every loose ball, we’ve gotta get a body on the floor & put it on the line. We didn’t compete at all,” Antetokounmpo added.
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Antetokounmpo backs coach Doc Rivers
Despite the Bucks’ rough start to the season, Antetokounmpo has expressed his support for head coach Doc Rivers, who is still working to find the best rotation for the team.
“Doc is doing his best. He’s trying to figure out the rotation. … I give him props on that. At the end of the day, the guys that play, we got to go out there and compete. He cannot compete from the sidelines for us.”
Damian Lillard speaks on the situation
Leading the Bucks alongside Antetokounmpo is Damian Lillard, who had an off game against the Knicks and voiced the team’s frustration with their current state. “I think everybody’s frustrated,” Lillard said. “When you’re in the type of situation we’re in — losing games and trying to find yourself, find your identity — I think everybody’s frustrated.”
“You don’t want guys in here happy,” he continued. “We got to understand what we’re doing and what it looks like when we’re having success, and that starts with playing hard and competing.”
