With the game on the line, Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo called an audible on a play designed by head coach Doc Rivers, which led to a game-winning shot by Kevin Porter Jr. in a 122-121 win against the Charlotte Hornets. Antetokounmpo connected with Porter Jr. for the game-winner — an alley-oop lob with 4.7 seconds left.
Porter Jr. revealed how it all played out between Rivers and Antetokounmpo during the Bucks' timeout with only 8.8 seconds remaining, he said, per The Athletic's Eric Nehm.
“Doc was drawing something up, and Giannis had a feeling they were switching a lot, so he gave us that play, basically, and we executed it,” Porter Jr. said.
Antetokounmpo says this isn't the first time this has happened.
“I’ve been in this situation before — I think, like, a month and a half ago,” Antetokounmpo said after the game. “When I was [at] the elbow, playing ISO for the game against Miles Bridges, and I shot a shot. And then, when I shot it, I looked on my left; there was a guy in the corner, and I thought to myself, ‘Why didn’t I go [dribble handoff] and just let the play develop?’ Long story short, that game we won in overtime.”
Giannis knew it would be a favorable look for Porter Jr. and he turned out to be right, as it left him wide open for the lob.
“I knew I’m going to get the ball at the elbow, and I know that it’s just going to be a single side, me and [Porter],” Antetokounmpo said. “I know [Porter] loves to go left. So, I told him before the play, I said, ‘Hey, you can just go down, come right back, and get the ball and just throw it to the rim. I’ll be wide open.’ And he just did what I told him, and I was wide open.”
Giannis Antetokoumpo led the Bucks with a double-double (30 points, 10 rebounds) on 11-of-18 shooting, and a perfect 8-for-8 from the free-throw line. He also finished with five assists, and one steal. Porter Jr. added a 10 points, 10 assists, four rebounds, and two steals.
How Giannis Antetokounmpo called out Bucks teammates
Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo called out his teammates' effort recently, specifically in regards to teammates executing plays. Antetokounmpo expressed his frustration with all players not always on the same page he said, as The Athletic's Eric Nehm noted.
“Sometimes, it’s just hard when maybe some people are trying to do the right thing, and other people are not trying to do the plays. It might be discouraging at times,” Antetokounmpo said via Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “I’ve been a part of teams, the really good teams, that two, three, four guys try to do the right thing, and they do it, I think, and they pull everybody else.
“And I’ve been on teams that two, three guys try to do the right thing, and three, four guys not trying to do the right thing, and it pulls the team to the wrong direction.”
The Bucks have won three of their last four games, and will face the Kings on the road on Sunday.
