The Spurs set the mood for the game right from the tip-off. Before even the Milwaukee Bucks could settle themselves into the game, Wemby & Co. dropped 17 points. While the Wisconsin side managed to keep up to their pace, at one point, their tired legs had to give up at one point, leading to a blowout 144-118 loss. After a disastrous end to their road trip, Doc Rivers and the team’s leader Giannis Antetokounmpo had a lot to say to their players.
Last night, the Bucks ended their first road trip on the West this season. While they managed to sneak a win against the Jazz, otherwise it’s an embarrassing 3-1 road. Coming back to the Spurs’ game, the team looked desperate to end their trip on a positive note. Despite the Spurs’ offensive flurry, the Bucks fought back and in fact, ended the first half with a one-point lead.
However, in the second half, the Texas side hit the ground running and swept the Bucks with a 74-44 run in the second half. Speaking of the team’s lack of competitive force in the second half, Doc Rivers said, “He (Brook Lopez) looked tired I thought the whole team did in a lot of ways, but I mean we’re asking too much out of them. We just are and we know that. So we have to do something about it.”
Rivers did cut some slack for the players. At the same time, he wasn’t lenient when it came down to calling out their flaws. The Spurs’ defense in the latter half was dominating, as they didn’t let them pass through the perimeter much. However, the Bucks offense, struggling to find an alternative, kept repeatedly beaten off in the dribble. Criticizing the team’s bad habit, Doc Rivers got a little creative that he went on to throw shade at Donald Trump.
“It was so bad… It felt like a Trump game… You just keep lying and making mistakes and then you forget the thing you did the day before. That’s how the game felt,” said Rivers in a disappointing tone. Currently, standing in the fourth seed in the East, it wouldn’t be too long before the Bucks get dragged down. But Giannis has something to say before that.
Giannis left a stern message to the Bucks’ fold
Without a doubt, the Milwaukee side went through a lot of ups and downs this season. Despite that, they have managed to bounce back every time. “Regardless of what happens, we got a good team and we have an opportunity to still win these games,” said Damian Lillard after the loss, perfectly summing up the team’s run so far.
Jan 31, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (1) dunks over Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during the second half at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images
Well, we can’t blame the team either. They took on the road trip without Bobby Portis Jr. and AJ Green, exposing a very thin depth. Nevertheless, it didn’t matter to Greek Freak, as he left a stern message. He added, “They (Spurs) were scoring in any way they wanted. Transition, we know they’re a team that wants to shoot threes, so we gave them that… What else? It was just easy. Everything was easy for them. Everything.”
However, expressing his distress over the team’s poor defensive efforts, he had a message too. “We just gotta be better. One hundred and fifty points, no excuse. Everybody gotta look at themselves in the mirror and come next game and do better. That’s pretty much it,” with a brim of confidence on his face. Will the Bucks bounce back, yet again? Let us know in the comments.
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