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Giannis Antetokounmpo criticizes the Bucks’ poor 4th quarter performance vs. the Heat

“Hopefully we can learn from this!”
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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The Milwaukee Bucks have to do better when closing out games. Giannis Antetokounmpo had this to say after the Bucks saw a huge lead nearly disappear before escaping with a 122-114 win over the Miami Heat on Monday night at the Fiserv Forum.

The Bucks looked to be heading to an easy win when they took a 97-73 lead with only one quarter left to play. Milwaukee went up 25 with 10:30 left before the Heat staged a major run and moved within striking distance late in the game.

Poor endgame performance

“Once you’re up 20, you’ve got to put them away. You’ve got to put them away. We weren’t able to do that tonight. Hopefully, we can learn from this,” Antetokounmpo said.

Interestingly, the Heat made a huge comeback with all of their starters sitting on the bench.

“Our guys were changing the momentum. That sometimes can be frustrating when you’re on the other side. They just want you to go away. Our guys were doing it with great energy and doing a lot of good things. Part of me also wanted to see if they could just continue to get it over the top,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said.

Giannis to the rescue

Miami threatened, cutting the game to 109-115 with 1:22 left, but Giannis put the game away by converting a three-point play. The crucial buckets were a part of Giannis’ 33-point night, as he helped the Bucks recover from a 110-127 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday night.

Giannis said the Bucks should have that killer instinct, especially when facing a team like Miami, which is known for it's never-quit attitude.

“When you have a chance to put them away, you've got to put them away -- because they're going to keep coming,” Antetokounmpo said.

The Milwaukee Bucks get revenge on the Miami Heat

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.