The Milwaukee Bucks stumbled again, losing 131-113 to the Atlanta Hawks at the Fiserv Forum to fall to 26-35. Giannis Antetokounmpo played well but could not help his team. After the Bucks' loss, Antetokounmpo lamented the loss and challenged his team in the aftermath, according to a recap by Johnny Askounis of Eurohoops.
“I was a little frustrated. I feel like when you're down 11 or 12, you've just got to play smart, try to get the best shot possible, be at the right spot. At the end of the day, we all have to be on the same page,” Antetokounmpo told Askounis.
Antetokounmpo scored 24 points, shooting 10 of 15 from the floor. However, the rest of his team could not do much else. The offense still shot 50% from the night, but allowed the Hawks to shoot 54.3%, including 44.4% from the triples.
The Bucks led 38-25 after the first quarter. Ultimately, things fell apart afterward. While the Bucks led 71-66 at halftime, a poor third quarter doomed them, giving the Hawks the lead for good.
With the team sitting at 26-35, there is still time to make a run and at least snag one of the play-in spots. Yet the Bucks are five games behind the Hawks for the final play-in spot, leading many to believe the team will miss the playoffs. Antetokounmpo acknowledged the situation and questioned what the plan was.
“We've got to decide, are we going to wave the white flag, or are we going to come together in the last 21 games and try to play hard and make a push?” Antetokounmpo asked.
The Bucks will have a few days to prepare for their next game, which will be Saturday against the Utah Jazz at home.
