Giannis Antetokounmpo Calls Out Bucks for Lack of ‘Individual Pride’ vs Nets

The Bucks superstar was not happy with the Bucks' effort against the Nets.

Jan 2, 2025; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) brings the ball up the court against Brooklyn Nets guard De'Anthony Melton (8) in the first half at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images / Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

One game after coming back from a 19-point deficit against the Indiana Pacers, the Milwaukee Bucks lost to the Brooklyn Nets 113-110. It's the second time in the last week or so that the Bucks have lost to the Nets. After getting such a big win, it was disappointing to see them fall against a worse team.

Giannis Antetokounmpo had a solid game against Brooklyn, scoring 27 points, grabbing 13 rebounds, and dishing out seven assists on 12/24 shooting from the field. Antetkounmpo was the best player for the Bucks, as he usually is when he is out there on the court.

Despite his solid play, Antetokounmpo wasn't happy with how the team played as a whole. He called the team out following the loss.

"We've played them four times and they've beat us three times. In a game like this, it's about individual pride. It's about who's going to compete, you know who's going to play harder. And I think three out of the four times they've played harder than us."

"We've played them four times and they've beat us three times. In a game like this, it's about individual pride. It's about who's going to compete, you know who's going to play harder. And I think three out of the four times they've played harder than us." - Giannis Antetokounmpo https://t.co/e5JVsHOLPm

— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) January 3, 2025

Antetokounmpo was not happy with their effort in these games against the Nets. Effort is not something that should be a question at any point in an NBA game. It's hard to find a player who tries harder than Antetokounmpo on a nightly basis, and he wants that from the rest of his teammates.

The Bucks are a really good team when all of their guys are clicking at the same time. The issue has been getting all of the players on the court at the same time. Injuries have prevented the team from getting the chemistry necessary to win games consistently.

Having available players was not the issue against Brooklyn. It was just the second time this season that Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, and Khris Middleton had been on the court at the same time. Effort on defense was the big issue. The Nets shot 28 free throws in this game, which was the main reason why they won the game.

Doc Rivers is in charge of making sure that the Bucks play with some consistent effort every single game. He has to get his team on the same page for them to win these games against bad teams. The Bucks sit fifth in the Eastern Conference standings but could fall to seventh on any given day.

The Bucks have to be better against bad teams in the league if they want to capture home-court advantage for the playoffs.

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