Giannis Antetokounmpo Sounds Off After Bucks’ Loss To Lowly Grizzlies: ‘We Have To Have More Urgency’

After the Milwaukee Bucks (35-21) lost to the lowly Memphis Grizzlies (20-36) last night (2/15), Giannis Antetokounmpo sounded off during his postgame media session with reporters. 

The Bucks lost their last two games before the All-Star break to the Miami Heat (30-25) and Grizzlies. 

“We have to have more urgency,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said, via SI. “I want to feel this urgency. I don’t say it for my team, I say it for myself. I want to feel this urgency. I want to go into this break with urgency. And at the end of the day, we have to admit, we lost to Miami by [26] and we lost today. It doesn’t matter by what, we lost. It’s what happened. From what happened, we have to have a little bit of urgency.”

The Bucks are only 3-7 under Doc Rivers, who replaced Adrian Griffin. Despite having Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Brook Lopez, Milwaukee doesn’t look like a championship contender right now. 

“We have to want it now,” Antetokounmpo said. “Enough with the talking. Enough with ‘our s— don’t stink’ mentality. Do we really want it? Are we putting in the work? Are we going to put in the effort? Are we going to fight for what we think that we deserve or what are our goals? What are the goals we’re trying to accomplish? That’s the most important thing.”

The Bucks are second in the NBA in points per game (122.0) but only 23rd in points per game allowed (118.8). 

“Guys are tired,” Antetokounmpo said. “Maybe it’s an excuse. New coach, an excuse. New system, excuse. New defenses, excuse. All this, it’s an excuse.”

Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.8 points, 11.2 rebounds, 6.4 assists, 1.4 steals and 1.1 blocks this season. The NBA legend said it’s “been a mentally draining season with all the changes and all the things that are going on.”