Giannis: “It doesn’t mean a 4-0 start after we started 7-0 and didn’t win the title”

Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks in a 119-108 win over the Knicks with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists. Milwaukee has a 4-0 record and is the only undefeated team in the league. But that’s the last thing the Bucks star cares about.

In his statements, the “Greek Freak” once again referred to the habits that the Bucks are building, but also recalled the 2018/19 season, when Milwaukee started with 7 wins in a row, but ultimately failed to win the championship.

Giannis explained in detail:

On what the Bucks’ identity is and whether to start defending it: “We have to play in defence. We understand that we have to make it difficult for teams to score goals. As long as we do that, we have hope of winning. Every game we have hope of winning in defence, even if our offensive is not good, with we beat the sixes although we only scored 90 points because they scored 88 points.

I think we have great players who can play in defence. It’s a team effort, but we also have the units, the staff, to do it every night. As long as we play defensively we’re in a good position and that’s our identity, we can’t deviate from that.

We can’t expect to muster 120 points to win. We can do it, but this cannot be sustained. In 2019/20 we were like that, we had a team that scored a lot of goals, we won by 10-15 points on average, but in the end it was the defense that counted, who would attack the ball, get the rebound. This is who we are now, this is our identity. Sometimes we’ll score, sometimes not, but our defense has to be there.”

Whether it’s important for the Bucks to have enough experienced players who will continue to defend even when shots don’t go in: “I think it’s a matter of maturity. I adore it Sometimes we don’t shoot and we still play defense, it’s part of us. I hope we keep this up. There will be days when we’re bad defensively, but as long as everyone gives everything and we make as few mistakes as possible, that’s good. I hope our attack doesn’t dictate our defense.”

For Jevon Carter: “That means a lot for our defence. He energizes, speaks and leads by example. He is not afraid and it is important to have someone who is not afraid to set his body on fire. He’s been doing it since he’s here and sets the tone for everyone. That’s how he survives in the league. He works hard, fights back and is proud. I love it and so does the team.”

About Bobby Portis, Brook Lopez and the Bucks’ many offensive rebounds: “We’re a big team, we have to push for rebounds, especially when all three of us are on the floor. It’s difficult for a team when they see the three of us going to the rebounds and that favors the team. Sometimes we can get a basket because we go for offensive rebound, but there are nights like this where Bobby gets 8 offensive rebounds and gives us new attacks.

For the Bucks’ 18-0 run in the 3rd quarter and if it was the defense that set the tone: “I don’t remember what we did defensively, but I do remember Holliday making a lot of good decisions, scoring goals, playing passes and setting the tone for everyone. We had a good third quarter and got away with the goal. But I don’t remember what we did defensively.”

What it says about the Bucks that despite their absence, they got off to a good start: “That says a lot about our team, but we have to stay humble. I remember we started 2018/19 7-0 but didn’t win the league. Our start doesn’t matter. We have a good team, we play well, we build good habits, we defend well, we have players who can’t wait to get into the fight. That doesn’t mean we’ll play better or win easier when the injured return. We can’t wait to see them again and hopefully if they do we can keep winning and enjoy the game.”

Whether he likes the retro looks of the Bucks: “I like them a lot. These are my favorites and then some creams we had. I have a look to frame it.”

For George Hill: “It’s always great to have him. He leads by example, he always talks in the dressing room, in training, in games, he plays right. He knows how to play, he plays to win and he’s good for us. He makes good decisions and ages like wine. How old is she, 36 years old? I love him, I love playing with him, he will always play well, he will give us energy, it’s nice to have him with us and he helps us a lot.”