Giannis Antetokounmpo addressed Milwaukee’s 119-101 loss to the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center on Thursday, analyzing the critical second-quarter stretch that swung momentum.
Giannis pointed to Victor Wembanyama’s return as a turning point. “Momentum. One of the best players came back, was able to get a rhythm from defense, got a block, then got a three. I think just gave everybody energy,” he explained.
The Bucks star reflected on missed opportunities. “We got many open threes, open looks that we weren’t able to knock down. If one of them goes in, night’s whole, totally different game,” Antetokounmpo said.
He noted the team’s offensive struggles despite moving the ball well. “Coming back at half, you’re looking at the stat sheet and you’re like, ‘Okay, we shot 33s,’ which means we were moving the ball… we knocked down some but we missed a lot of good looks coming out of the half,” Giannis said.
The forward also addressed Milwaukee’s recent inability to respond to opposing runs. “Two games we scored under 100. We’ve got to be more aggressive. We’ve got to see the ball go in. We got to stop playing side to side and play downhill more,” he said.
Giannis shared his thoughts on his own playing time and conditioning. “How many minutes I played? 21, 22. Do I want to play more minutes? Yes. But obviously, it was a blowout. Coach made a decision to pull me off the game. Smart decision probably,” he said.
The superstar also reflected on facing Wembanyama. “He’s a way better player. He’s trying to facilitate more for his teammates, getting the ball closer to the basket. He’s 7-foot-4, pretty much unguardable. As long as he stays healthy, he’s the future of this league,” Antetokounmpo said.
Looking ahead, Giannis emphasized focus and preparation. “We’ve got to practice, take care of our body, talk about what happened tonight, what happened the last game. Then it’s like a training camp. We’ve got to get after it, play hard, practice hard. Hopefully, that can translate to Atlanta,” he said.
Milwaukee struggled to keep pace, shooting 34% overall and 35% from three, while Giannis led the team with 21 points. Kyle Kuzma added 18 points, and Bobby Portis contributed 13. San Antonio shot 51% overall, 43% from deep, and converted 23-of-27 free throws.
The loss drops the Bucks to 17-24, 11th in the Eastern Conference, while the Spurs improve to 28-13, tied for third in the West. Milwaukee faces Atlanta on Monday, and San Antonio hosts Minnesota on Saturday.
