NBA News Roundup, Thursday, Oct 24: Rajon Rondo injury update, Giannis believes Bucks could have won 2019 NBA title and more
The 2019-20 NBA season has already provided two nights of thrilling action and both the Houston Rockets and Golden State Warriors will get their campaigns underway tonight. After losing Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala during the offseason, the Warriors face an uphill battle in the West while the Rockets will be hoping to finally reach the NBA Finals following the high-profile signing of Russell Westbrook.
There is also plenty of speculation off the court, as a number of the NBA's top talents continue to be linked with a trade, while notable free agents such as Carmelo Anthony remain available to teams looking to add depth. So, with plenty going on around the league, here is all the latest news and rumors you need to know for October 24th.
#1 Giannis Antetokounmpo believes he would already be an NBA champion if the Bucks had defeated Toronto in Game 3 of the East Finals
The 2018-19 season was an incredible year for Giannis Antetokounmpo as he became one of the youngest ever MVP winners, while also leading his Bucks team to the Eastern Conference Finals. Nevertheless, the 24-year-old told Contra that he believes he would already be an NBA champion if his Milwaukee side had defeated the Toronto Raptors in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals:
"My goal this year is to win the championship with the Bucks, which is something that requires a lot of work. If we had won our third game with the Raptors last season, probably I would have been an NBA champion at 24. It is hard, but we learn from our mistakes and I wish we will not repeat them when we reach the same point."
Heading into Game 3, The Bucks held a 2-0 series lead, although Antetokounmpo shot 5 for 16 as the Bucks lost a double-OT thriller. The Raptors would go on to win the next three games of the series before defeating the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.