"A+, great season": Giannis Antetokounmpo hilariously mocks Bucks amid coaching turmoil
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo recently had his say on his team’s season thus far. Expected to emerge as one of the most obvious title contenders this season, especially after the trade for Damian Lillard, things have not quite worked out for the Bucks.
They have had consistent struggles, and questions have been asked about the fit of their two most obvious superstars. There have also been changes in the coaching staff, with the firing of Adrian Griffin and the subsequent appointment of Doc Rivers also raising question marks.
Still, the Bucks are third in the Eastern Conference and are still very much in the reckoning. While Giannis sarcastically stated to ESPN that they are having an "A+ season," he believes the team only has to improve a little in order to actually get there:
“A+, Great, great season. You know, wait, let me stop joking. I think the season is, there has been ups and downs for sure. But I, what are we right now, I think 3rd in the NBA, 4th in the NBA record.”
The "Greek Freak" went on to talk about the kind of coaching changes the Milwaukee Bucks have seen. He claimed that the changes in the staff have also had an impact and that he never expected them to be the best team in the NBA straightaway:
”So like, all the ups and downs we have had, 3 coach in the last one month. Griff, Joe, Doc Rivers, and six months ago, or 8 months ago, we have another 4th coach. Lot of changes, right?
"It’s pretty good, we just have to figure it out, we just have to keep getting better. I said in the beginning of this year it’s not going to be easy. I don’t expect us to right off the bat be the best team in the NBA.”
Giannis made the above claims in an interview with ESPN’s Malika Andrews. He went on to compare the current season with the previous one, claiming that there is still a good chance for the Bucks to have a successful post-season.
Giannis Antetokounmpo expects the Milwaukee Bucks to continue improving
Giannis Antetokounmpo went on to compare the situation with last season, when the Bucks were considered obvious contenders and were arguably the best defensive team in the league. The loss of Jrue Holiday has also inadvertently had an impact, which means that the Bucks were always going to have to make changes to have a successful campaign.
Giannis compared the situation with last season, claiming that no one should expect Damian Lillard to straightaway help the team become the best in the league:
“You know, Dame scoring 17, throwing out the hoops, we are defending and the ball is moving. Last year I think we won 16 in a row, and won 21 out of 22. And what happened, we lost in the first round of playoffs”
Hence, while fans might have been frustrated with how things have gone, there is little doubt that Giannis himself is still hopeful. The Bucks are still in a strong position and with Doc Rivers still figuring things out, they are bound to get better as the season progresses.