The Milwaukee Bucks recently faced off against the Los Angeles Lakers for the first time this season. With the game taking place at the Crypto.Com arena, Giannis Antetokounmpo and his crew were looking to recover from their recent 35-point loss against the Warriors. Despite the player putting up an impressive battle on the offensive part, the Lakers continued to hold their own and proved an even match to their rival.

With just 5.9 seconds remaining on the clock, the score was 123-122 in the Lakers favor. Damian Lillard, who was controlling the ball, made a final play by attempting to hit a jumper. He was, however, effectively blocked by Spencer Dinwiddie, and was unsuccessful in preventing the Bucks’ second loss in a row.

The Greek Freak put out a statement in the aftermath of the game. Recalling the pivotal moment, he highlighted his role in placing Damian Lillard at the front during the final few seconds. He recalled himself saying “Give the ball to the best closer in this game today to make a play. And, whatever the outcome of that play is, you gotta live with that.”

Bucks coach Doc Rivers also discussed Dinwiddie’s block and stated that Lillard would have made the shot had the circumstances been different. “Not a lot of time. (Lillard) wanted a quick action. He’s pretty good one-on-one. So just, give Dinwiddie credit, he did a great job” said Rivers.

Over the past few years, Lillard has created a reputation for being one of the best shooters and finishers in the NBA. Through his above statement, Giannis Antetokounmpo highlighted that if the team’s “best closer” couldn’t have made the shot, then no one else could have. Therefore, Lillard shouldn’t be judged harshly for what occurred. While The Greek Freak left the final play in the hands of Lillard, how did he fare for the rest of the game?

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How did Giannis Antetokounmpo perform today against the Lakers?

The Bucks had a slight advantage when kicking off the game since Lakers star player LeBron James was absent due to his left ankle injury. It allowed Giannis Antetokounmpo to lead his team’s offense by pulling off an impressive triple-double score of 34 points, 14 rebounds, and 12 assists. Furthermore, he efficiently tackled the defense and shot 60.9% from the field. However, he was evenly matched on the offensive part by players like D’Angelo Russell and Anthony Davis, who pulled off 44 and 22 points, respectively.

The loss will sting for some time. Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks, however, can roll with the punches knowing that they did their best. However, they will need to step up their game since the playoffs are just around the corner and they have stronger contenders to face. Will the Milwaukee Bucks be able to patch their holes and lift the Larry O’Brien Trophy a third time?

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