MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo says the Milwaukee Bucks’ recent run of heavy defeats stems from fractured chemistry and players hunting their own shots instead of the best shot. His comments followed Wednesday night’s 122-102 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team missing several injured rotation pieces.
“We’re not playing hard. We’re not playing together,” the two-time MVP told reporters. “Guys are being selfish, trying to look for their own shots instead of the right shot for the team.”
The Bucks have dropped four of their past five contests, and each of the last three losses has come by at least 18 points. At 18-25, Milwaukee sits 11th in the Eastern Conference, putting its streak of nine consecutive playoff appearances in jeopardy. The club has yet to string together more than two victories at any stage this season.
Further complicating matters, starting guard Kevin Porter Jr. is sidelined indefinitely with an oblique strain. Porter is second on the roster in scoring (16.8 points) and leads the Bucks in assists (7.4). “He’s not going to play anytime soon,” head coach Doc Rivers said, adding that the timetable for Porter’s return remains unclear.
Antetokounmpo’s offensive involvement has dipped of late; he has attempted 13 or fewer field goals in each of the past four games, including 11 shots against Oklahoma City. The forward acknowledged that he may have to be more demanding. “Maybe I’ve got to be the black swan—be more aggressive and demand the ball,” he said, referencing advice he recently received.
Antetokounmpo conceded that the Bucks often try to erase deficits too quickly. “When we’re down 10, 15, 20, we try to make it up in one play, and it’s not going to work,” he noted.
Milwaukee returns to action later this week, still searching for answers — and cohesion — as the season’s midpoint passes.
Source: ESPN
