The Milwaukee Bucks became just the sixth No. 1 seed to lose a first round series to a No. 8 seed as they bowed out of the playoffs Wednesday with a 128-126 overtime loss to the Miami Heat.
So, it probably isn’t too much of a surprise that Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo was on edge in his postgame media availability.
The two-time MVP was asked if he viewed the season, which saw the Bucks post the best record in the NBA (58-24) before their stunning playoff collapse, as a failure. He had a lot to say on the matter.
“Do you get a promotion every year, in your job?” Antetokounmpo asked the reporter. “No, right? So every year you work is a failure? Yes or no? No. Every year you work, you work toward something, towards a goal, which is to get a promotion, to be able to take care of your family, provide a house for them or take care of your parents. You work towards a goal – it’s not a failure. It’s steps to success. 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?”
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Antetokounmpo, who missed two games in the series due to an injury suffered in Game 1, said it was a “wrong” question and added that “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 (are) about: you don’t always win. Some other people’s going to win. And this year somebody else is going to win, simple as that,” Antetokounmpo said.
No. 1 Bucks lose first round series to Heat: Where do they go from here?
Antetokounmpo, 28, put up 38 points and 20 rebounds in Wednesday’s overtime loss, impressive totals to be sure. But he also shot just 10-for-23 from the free throw line in the defeat.
“We’re going to come back next year, try to be better, try to build good habits, try to play better, not have a 10-day stretch playing bad basketball. Hopefully we can win a championship,” Antetokounmpo, the 2021 Finals MVP said, before reiterating his point with a reminder of the Bucks’ history. “So, 50 years from 1971 to 2021 that we didn’t win a championship, it was 50 years of failure? No it was not. It was steps to it and we were able to win one, hopefully we can win another one.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo says season not a failure after Heat loss