As the Oklahoma City Thunder came to town for the annual visit, the reigning NBA champions slapped the Milwaukee Bucks with a cold reality check. Not only are the latter behind the former, but they’re eons away from even sniffing a competitive game.
Despite being without half of their roster, the Thunder humiliated the Bucks in a 122-102 win in a game they led from the jump. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showed why he should win a second MVP award as he finished with 40 points on 16-of-19 shooting, 11 assists and seven rebounds.
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Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo was held in check. He finished with a quiet 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting, 14 rebounds and seven assists. Of course, Lu Dort deserved a lot of credit for that. Especially since he scaled up out of necessity due to OKC’s depleted frontcourt.
That said, when you watched the game, it’s tough not to feel like Antetokounmpo was going through the motions. He played passively. The Milwaukee crowd went from anger a week ago when they booed their Bucks to indifference with a quiet library environment in this one.
You saw two NBA franchises head in different directions with their all-time talent. OKC is in the middle of its peak. While Milwaukee is sadly winding down its competitive window.
Afterward, Antetokounmpo called out his Bucks teammates. It’s really the two-time MVP winner and a bunch of CJ Strouds out there. Despite Milwaukee’s valiant attempts, it just doesn’t have a championship-caliber roster. That’s led most to believe it’s only a matter of time before a divorce is filed.
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“We’re not playing hard. Not doing the right things,” Antetokounmpo said. “We’re not playing to win. Not playing together. Our chemistry’s not there. Guys are being selfish. Guys are trying to look for their own shots instead of looking for the right shot for the team. Guys are trying to do it on their own.”
Yikes. Never want to hear the face of your franchise say that. Despite what both sides have said, it feels like Antetokounmpo’s time in Milwaukee is almost done. Just a matter of when, not if. The hospital Thunder beating up on them was the latest reminder of how far away they are.
Before these recent comments, it felt like a given that the Bucks would finish the season with Antetokounmpo, then address the elephant in the room in the offseason. But now, you see a possible trade deadline blockbuster made as the vibes continue to get uglier and uglier with each passing day.
This article originally appeared on OKC Thunder Wire: Giannis Antetokounmpo calls out teammates after Thunder beat Bucks