Bucks fans had every right to boo their team Tuesday night. The Bucks were blown out at home by a Timberwolves team without Anthony Edwards (foot issue maintenance) and Rudy Gobert (suspension). The Bucks turned the ball over 20 times, were down 31 at the half and had no answer for Bones Hyland, who finished with 23 points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo booed the fans back.
Antetokounmpo’s postgame explanation was pretty straightforward, via Jamal Collier of ESPN.
“Whenever I get booed, I boo back…
“I play basketball for my teammates. I play basketball for myself and my family. When people don’t believe in me, I don’t tend to be with them. I tend to do what I’m here to do, what I’m good at. … It won’t change home or away. But yeah, I’ve never been a part of something like that before and I don’t think it’s fair. I don’t. But everybody has their opinion to do what they want to do.
“I’m not going to tell them what to do and how they should act when we don’t play hard. Or when we lose games, or when we’re not where we’re supposed to be. I don’t think anybody has the right to tell me how I should act on [a] basketball court after I’ve been here 13 years. And I’m basically the all-time leader in everything.”
Antetokounmpo was understandably frustrated during the loss, but his actions will only add fuel to the trade speculation fires around him. However, it doesn’t change where things stand: The Bucks arent going to trade him in-season unless he asks to be traded, he has said he would never do that, Milwaukee is trying to add talent not trade him away, and with his salary (and the fact he only would want to go to specific places) it’s next to impossible to trade him in-season anyway.
Still, from the outside, the relationship feels a little more strained today than it was yesterday.
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