Following a 22-point loss to the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Friday night, a visibly frustrated Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a stern message to his team during the postgame media session. The Milwaukee Bucks, who had shown flashes of potential in recent games, were thoroughly outplayed by the Knicks, and Antetokounmpo did not hold back in his assessment of their lack of effort.
Throughout his postgame comments, Antetokounmpo emphasized a recurring theme—calling out the Bucks for not “competing.” The team, at times, appeared disinterested, losing crucial 50-50 balls and being outhustled on the boards by New York. For a team that was expected to be a title contender, these lapses in effort were deeply concerning to their leader.
“Did we compete in the previous game? Yes,” Antetokounmpo stated. “Did we compete in the two games against the Cavs? Yes. Did we compete today? No. If you don’t compete your ass off, you’re not going to win the game. At the very least, you have to give yourself a chance.”
The Bucks entered Friday’s game having won two of their last three, including victories against a Cleveland Cavaliers team boasting the best record in the NBA, as well as the Utah Jazz.
In those matchups, Milwaukee displayed the kind of grit and determination that was expected from a roster with championship aspirations. But against the Knicks, Antetokounmpo was disappointed by what he perceived to be a lack of commitment from his teammates.
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“We came to New York after playing great last night,” he continued, his frustration evident. “Then we come here and lose by 30. Are we OK with not competing? Because I’m not OK with that s**t. We’ve got Boston in two days. If we don’t compete, we’re going to lose by 30. Simple as that.”
Antetokounmpo’s blunt words were a wake-up call to his teammates, but the frustration did not end there. While responding to a question about the Bucks’ lack of aggressiveness in attacking the paint, Antetokounmpo was visibly distracted by a reporter in the room who appeared disengaged. He paused mid-response and called out the reporter.
“Hey man, if you don’t want to be here, you can leave,” Antetokounmpo said, his voice stern. “If you don’t want to be here, you can leave. I’m being honest with you.” The comment underscored his intense focus and his unwillingness to accept anything less than full effort—from both his team and the media covering them.
The frustration of the two-time MVP is understandable given the Bucks’ current predicament. Entering the season as one of the favorites to contend for an NBA title, the Bucks now find themselves sitting at 2-7, tied for 13th place in the Eastern Conference.
It has been a disappointing start for a team that, on paper, has the talent to challenge any opponent in the league.
For Antetokounmpo, the path to turning things around is simple: it starts with competitiveness. “If we don’t compete, we have no chance,” he reiterated. With a challenging matchup against the defending champion Boston Celtics coming up on Sunday, the Bucks have little time to dwell on their recent struggles.
Antetokounmpo knows that without a drastic shift in their mentality, the Bucks are in danger of digging themselves into a hole that will be hard to climb out of.
The upcoming clash with the Celtics presents an opportunity for the Bucks to prove themselves—to show that they are capable of bouncing back from adversity and playing with the heart and intensity that Giannis demands.
For now, it remains to be seen whether the Bucks can answer their leader’s call to action or if the frustration of the season will continue to mount.
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