Giannis Antetokounmpo says Bucks enter ‘make-or-break’ stretch
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The Milwaukee Bucks are running out of room for mistakes after letting a three-point advantage evaporate in the final 33.2 seconds of Wednesday’s home game against the Washington Wizards.
Guard CJ McCollum sank two late baskets, and Giannis Antetokounmpo’s last-second attempt rolled off the rim, sealing Milwaukee’s 15th loss in 17 games. Head coach Doc Rivers said postgame his team “didn’t deserve to win.”
“We had every shot we wanted at the end,” Rivers noted. “But when you don’t play right, the basketball gods don’t allow you to win. We didn’t pass the ball, and we didn’t guard.”
Antetokounmpo, easing back after missing eight contests with a strained right calf, logged 28 minutes under a restriction yet finished with 33 points and 15 rebounds. He acknowledged his conditioning and timing remain below peak level, but his bigger worry centers on team cohesion.
“Sometimes it’s hard when some people are trying to do the right thing and others are not,” the two-time MVP said. “That can pull a team in the wrong direction.”
The defeat dropped Milwaukee to 14-20, placing the club 11th in the Eastern Conference, one spot outside the play-in tournament. The schedule intensifies quickly: after hosting Charlotte, the Bucks embark on a western swing against Sacramento, Golden State, the Lakers, and Denver.
“We’re 11th in the East,” Antetokounmpo added. “This stretch can make us or break us. I don’t want to break. I want to be made.”
Source: Hoops Wire
