Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo makes 'promise' after winning NBA Cup MVP
Yesterday at 11:28 AM
The Milwaukee Bucks had a thrilling run toward winning the franchise’s first-ever NBA Cup championship. Milwaukee thrilled fans in their dominant 97-81 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder. However, this victory was more than an in-season championship run for Milwaukee. For NBA Cup MVP Giannis Antetokoumpo, it was about sending a statement to the rest of the league.
“Oh man, what a feeling,” he said. “What a great feeling. I’ll see you guys again, I promise.”
Walking down the hallway toward the locker room, Antekounmpo continued: “What a great feeling. What a great feeling.”
Milwaukee’s celebrations only went so far, as it has a more important trophy in mind: the Larry O’Brien Trophy. The Bucks left the boxes of champagne provided by the NBA untouched after their NBA Cup win. Instead, they skipped the traditional postgame locker room celebration for a more subdued scene, with players bopping along to music and sipping drinks at their locker.
“Last time I drank a little bit of champagne when we won the championship [in 2021], I had like a full body cramp,” Antetokounmpo said with a laugh.
While the Bucks elected to skip the celebration, that does not mean they didn’t savor the moment. Instead, Antetokounmpo, who said he does not drink, implored the team to celebrate the accomplishment.
“There has to be,” he said. “This has been a great trip. This has been a trip for six days. Everybody has been locked in, on time for the film sessions, so focused on the walk-throughs. At practice, we were able to be so sharp.”
What’s next for the Bucks after winning the 2024 NBA Cup?
Milwaukee will have a few days of rest before they resume their regular season grind against their next opponent: the Cleveland Cavaliers. While Antetokounmpo is encouraging his teammates to celebrate, he also has stressed the importance of maintaining their championship standard when their regular season picks back up.
“We have just got to stay humble, keep on improving,” Antetokounmpo said. “We have a lot of basketball in front of us. We play Cleveland on Friday. Very, very good team. They are going to be waiting for us. Right now, the emotion is at an all-time high. We have to bring it down, be humble. Once we leave here tomorrow, go back to the gym, lock-in, and hopefully, we can go and get a win against the Cavs.”
Since winning only two of their first 10 games, the Bucks have the best record in the NBA at 12-3. But with the NBA Cup to their name, Milwaukee has a bigger target on their back. When their regular season resumes, the Bucks have to continue playing to their NBA Cup standards so that way they can win it all in the NBA Finals.
The post Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo makes ‘promise’ after winning NBA Cup MVP appeared first on ClutchPoints.
