Bucks Zone

"There was a respect/fear factor" - Giannis Antetokounmpo points out what propelled Milwaukee's performance vs. Boston

Giannis emphasizes the importance of treating opponents with respect.
Matthew Dugandzic|
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports

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After scoring a lopsided win against the Eastern Conference-leading Boston Celtics on Thursday night, Giannis Antetokounmpo urged the Milwaukee Bucks to always treat opposing teams respectfully.

Giannis said the Bucks treated the Celtics with the utmost respect, and it led to a 135-102 win that snapped the team’s two-game slide.

“There was a respect-slash-fear factor also that's very important for this team, that we have to go out there and play at our best today,” Giannis said.

It was only the Bucks’ second win in six games this month.

Giannis wants consistent effort

The Greek Freak said the Bucks got off to a rough start this month for not showing up with the right attitude, especially against the lower-ranked teams.

“Hopefully, we can keep this up not just against the Boston Celtics, not just when we have two days off or not when we have not played well," Antetokounmpo added. "Even if we’ve played well and even if we’ve played bad, be able to come into the game and play with the same urgency and with the same focus and with the same energy.”

Antetokounmpo finished with 24 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists in the win. Bobby Portis Jr. had a game-high 28 points and 12 rebounds.

Played like champions

Damian Lillard contributed 21 points in his return from a one-game absence. Malik Beasley added 16 points, while Brook Lopez also scored in double figures with 15.

“I love the way we responded,” Bucks coach Adrian Griffin said. “We responded like champions today.”

The Celtics looked tired playing the back end of a back-to-back and didn’t have their usual offensive punk. Jaylen Brown was the lone Boston starter to score in double figures in a contest where Milwaukee led by as many as 43 points.

But more than the Celtics playing with weary legs, Griffin said it was Milwaukee playing as a team that made the big difference.

“It was just total team effort. I just love our competitive spirit. I thought everyone that entered the game was locked in with our game plan, locked in defensively. I thought we followed the game to a T,” said Griffin. 

The Milwaukee Bucks pound the Boston Celtics to end two-game slide

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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.