Giannis Antetokounmpo has returned for the Milwaukee Bucks but that does not fix everything for them. They won two straight with him back in the line-up but against the Washington Wizards, it became obvious that their situation has gotten better.
Bucks fell to the Wizards at home, the second time they got one against the Wisconsin-based franchise. Both wins also came from a game-winning shot. The loss came a day after he declared his faith in his teammates and how they can still turn things around.
The Greek Freak thinks their effort was not great enough and he wants to take responsibility.
“As a leader, I just gotta be better,” Antetokounmpo said after the game.
“I have to be better defensively. I have to be better. Gotta move the ball more. I gotta playmake more. I think the offense has gotta be played more around me. I feel like I get the ball only in positions that I gotta score. I gotta playmake better and also try to score. Go back to what I do, put on the cape.”
Antetokounmpo, who’s still playing under minutes restriction, finished with 33 and 15 rebounds. Four of the starting five members scored in double digits.
What they failed to do was stop CJ McCollum who hit the game winning shot.
Players with 9 straight 20+ ppg seasons are always All Stars
CJ McCollum is the only one in that group with zero selections. pic.twitter.com/XHITVYlRcU
— Noah Masri (@MasriNBA) January 1, 2026
Giannis Antetokounmpo calls out team’s mentaltity
The Greek Freak has been preaching about playing with sense of urgency. To treat the next games as life or death. This mentality of his even irked Chicago Bulls players.
He now thinks some people are yet to realize that and called for the whole team to grow.
“We gotta grow, man,” Antetokounmpo said.
“We gotta understand what position we are right now, and I feel like a lot of people don’t understand it. Tomorrow’s gonna be January 1st, right?
“We’re 11th in the East. My whole career, when I’ve had winning seasons, like January to February before the break, you gotta stack up wins, and we have a tough schedule. I don’t think people understand this can make us or break us. And I don’t want to break. I want to be made.”
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