The Milwaukee Bucks have not had a great last few weeks. The firing of head coach Adrian Griffin seemed to start a downward spiral in more ways than one. Not that the team was playing particularly well through the first 43 games of the season, but they were still 30-13. Now they are 35-21. They went 2-1 under interim head coach Joe Prunty and have started 3-7 under new head coach Doc Rivers.
Along with fans, analysts, and former NBA players bemoaning what the All-Star game has become, current players had extra time on their hands to do podcasts appearances, interviews, and interact with fans on social media. The results of this downtime for the Bucks has not been great.
Doc Rivers did an interview in which he questioned Milwaukee’s ownership group and their decision to fire Griffin in the first place. Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s comments about not watching basketball games in his downtime were taken out of context. Patrick Beverley and JJ Redick got into a social media battle over Doc Rivers. And Damian Lillard left Giannis off his top NBA starters.
Most of these comments have been taken out of contest or blown far out of proportion. One of these players, Lillard, did take one extra appearance, however, to defend one of his teammates against online criticism and to give him the praise you so rarely gets.
Milwaukee Bucks Guard Damian Lillard Defends Thanasis Antetokounmpo
Thanasis Antetokounmpo, Giannis’ older brother, gets a lot of criticism for being who he is on the team that signed him. Charles Barkley joked last week that Thanasis has better job security than a Supreme Court justice thanks to his being related to Giannis. NBA fans have been heard in videos claiming that they believe they could legitimately beat Thanasis in a game of one-on-one. Bucks fans themselves often make fun of him for his expressions and demeanor on the bench.
A few days ago, Lillard took the opportunity to address Thanasis’ critics:
“People try to be funny. I would put good money that a lot of people talking on Twitter wouldn’t be able to beat him one-on-one… He’s the top of the line at his role on our team.”
Damian Lillard defends Thanasis Antetokounmpo 🗣️
(via @ComplexSports)pic.twitter.com/czc81NeNuA
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) February 21, 2024
“You know, I’ve seen all this stuff on social media about TA. It’s a lot of guys that may feel like, you know, they were more talented, have more ability, but they could never take his spot.
“You know, people try to be funny. I would put good money that a lot of people talking on Twitter wouldn’t be able to beat him in a game of one on one. Defensively, he’s big, he’s strong, he’s athletic, he’s aggressive, he’s physical.
“You’re not going to find a guy who’s more about the team, that show up and work hard. He’s always in the weight room, he’s always on the court getting his work in. He’s the top, top of the line at his role on our team.
“I have a hard time seeing anybody coming in that could replace him at what he does for our team, and is also ready to get in the game and do what he has to do.
“Being somebody that’s behind the closed doors with him, like I respect him a lot, you know. And I think that if people got to know him, they wouldn’t be joking as much.”
Well, so much for that silly narrative that Lillard isn’t happy in Milwaukee.
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