For all of Giannis Antetokpunmpo’s greatness, the sirens on his clutch performances are starting to go off. Wednesday night’s game disappointing loss to the Boston Celtics only allows them to ring louder. So loud in fact that it appears that the “Greek Freak” is starting to hear them:
“I’m upset about it, But you can’t change it. So it’s done. Hopefully when I’m in the same position, I can make the next one. That’s the mentality you’ve got to have. But obviously there’s a little bit of a weight on your shoulders because, if you miss, that’s it for your team. I’m a winner, and I want to do whatever it takes for my team to win. But, you know, you learn from every situation that basketball puts you in.”
Giannis, of course, missed the game-tying free throw in the waning seconds of Wednesday’s game. It was further highlighted by the opposing clutch 3 hit over Giannis by fellow young superstar Jayson Tatum. After 2 consecutive NBA MVPs, clutch performances still have been able to elude the star forward. Giannis and the Bucks have also had 2 consecutive years of playoff flameouts, and his showings in those games were not as stellar as the regular season. Missing those shots felt indicative of the last few seasons: great play overshadowed by disappointing critical moments. The addition of Jrue Holiday are supposed to help mitigate the team’s recent shortcomings, and one game doesn’t a season make. However, the Defensive Player of the Year will have a hard time quieting critics until he delivers when it matters most.
Click on the links to view the game-winning shot and Giannis’ comments
