On paper, the Milwaukee Bucks are one of the best teams in the NBA. On paper, the Bucks should have won their elimination game against the Indiana Pacers in the semifinal of the In-Season Tournament.
What actually happened on Thursday night, however, is that the Pacers simply proved to be the better team. Their 128-119 victory against Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co. is a clear testament to this fact.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Sounds Off on Milwaukee Bucks’ Loss Vs. Indiana Pacers
In his post-game interview, Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was a clear picture of frustration — and understandably so. The former back-to-back MVP is well aware of the fact that their opponents just outplayed them on the evening.
Antetokounmpo could not help but call out his team’s lack of desire in this all-important game — one that led to the Pacers not showing them the respect that Giannis feels they deserve:
“We have to know what their weaknesses are, what their strengths are, where they want the ball, what spots on the floor they want the ball, and the biggest thing, I believe, is that we got to – we’ve got to want it. You know, nobody is going to give you nothing,” he said, via Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
“Like sometimes I feel like we expect just because we have great players out there, that Tyrese Haliburton or Myles Turner or Aaron Nesmith, somebody is not just going to give us the game. Like no, we have to — we have to be better. We have to go out there and take it. You know at the end of the day, I think we are great players, but if we don’t go out there and compete, they are not going to respect us. They played their best against us.”
I see no lies here. This doesn’t just go for the Pacers. Even the worst team in the NBA will show a lack of respect for the Bucks if they go out there without the proper mindset.
This was exactly the case on Thursday night, and it resulted in disaster for the Bucks.
For More Wisconsin Sports:
Follow me on Twitter at @PaoloSongcoNBA, and follow us @WiSportsHeroics. Also, check out our Merchandise Here! Get 20% off with the code “WSH.” You can also reach out to Paolo Songco via email at pao.songco@gmail.com. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in ALL of Wisconsin sports, click here! Green Bay Packers, Milwaukee Brewers, Milwaukee Bucks, Wisconsin Badgers.