By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Snapping a four-game losing streak in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, the Milwaukee Bucks shot a franchise-record 68.9% from the field to beat the Phoenix Suns, 133-123.
Playing through a left foot sprain, Giannis Antetokounmpo produced 37 points with 12/18 field goals, including two three-pointers. The Freak’s efforts on Tuesday extended into 11 assists, five rebounds, three steals, and one block over 36 minutes.
“I definitely needed a win,” the international superstar with Greece stressed during a postgame media session.
“When you win, you enjoy your sleep better. You enjoy your food better. You enjoy spending time with your kids, and everything is better. So you enjoy interacting with your teammates more,” he continued, “I’m a sore loser. I’m not going to lie. So, we definitely needed a win. I keep saying to my teammates, ‘We’re fighting for our lives. We’re fighting for our lives.’ They think I’m joking, but I’m not joking. We’re fighting for our lives right here. Every win counts.”
The team coached by Doc Rivers finished with 51/74 field goals en route to 41-34 in the Regular Season.
“It was one of those days that shots just kept on falling. The majority of the shots that they took were wide open. And if they didn’t, they tried to get in the paint and make something happen. In the previous game, we played against Atlanta, and in the first half we were shooting like 70 or 72%. And then we came out in the third quarter, we couldn’t throw a rock into the ocean to save our lives,” mentioned Giannis, referring to a home contest against the Atlanta Hawks on the latest edition of NBA Sundays.
Following a recent reunion with Mike Budenholzer on the road, the Bucks hosted their former head coach in Fiserv Forum for the first time since his dismissal in 2023.
“It’s definitely weird,” confessed Giannis, “Seeing him complain about plays that I do. Charges and push-offs and all that. It’s stuff that he loved when I did it when we were on the same team. We won the championship together, he loved when I did that.”
Serbian Vasilije Micic stayed on the bench for the Suns.
Dealing with a left ankle injury, Kevin Durant is expected to miss the entire three-game road trip stretching from Milwaukee to Boston and New York. In a battle to clinch a berth in the Western Conference Play-Ins, his side suffered a fourth straight loss.