NBA: Giannis Antetokounmpo lashes out at reporters after shock Milwaukee Bucks play-off exit
- Rob McCarthy
- 27 April 2023
Giannis Antetokounmpo insists that the Milwaukee Bucks' 128-126 overtime loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their first-round play-off series, and subsequent play-off exit, is not a 'failure'.
Giannis Antetokounmpo was unhappy with the line of questioning as the Milwaukee Bucks crashed out of the NBA play-offs after a 128-126 overtime loss to the Miami Heat in Game 5 of their first-round series.
The Bucks, who owned the NBA's best record during the regular season with 58 wins, became the fourth No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 8 seed in a best-of-seven series in NBA history. However, Antetokounmpo took issue with a question about whether Milwaukee's season was a failure.
"It's not a failure; it's steps to success," Antetokounmpo said. "There's always steps to it. Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships. The other nine years was a failure? That's what you're telling me?
"It's a wrong question; there's no failure in sports. There's good days, bad days. Some days you're able to be successful, some days you're not. Some days it's your turn, some days it's not your turn. And that's what sports is about. You don't always win. Sometimes other people win. And this year somebody else is going to win, simple as that."
The Bucks began the postseason as the favorites to win the NBA championship but fell to the Heat in perhaps one of the biggest upsets in playoff history.
The No. 1 seed had not lost in the first round to an eight-seed since 2012, when the Chicago Bulls were beaten by the Philadelphia 76ers following a season-ending injury to Derrick Rose.
