“Not a Failure”: Giannis Antetokounmpo Gives Passionate Interview After Bucks’ Shock Exit

• The Miami Heat pulled off the unlikely by eliminating top-seed Milwaukee Bucks from the playoffs
• Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was not happy when asked if their season was a failure
• Milwaukee blew a double-digit lead in Game 5 and made debatable decisions down the stretch

The Milwaukee Bucks were eliminated from the 2023 NBA playoffs after losing Game 5 to the 8th Miami Heat. They lost 128-126 in overtime.

After the game, Bucks superstar, Giannis Antetokounmpo was visibly angry when asked if the season was a failure for his team and proceeded to give a passionate answer about his team going out early.

The Bucks finished the regular season with the best record in the NBA. However, they did not expect to go out early in the playoffs. The Heat had other plans, though.

The 2021 NBA champions lost Antetokounmpo to injury early in Game 1, which held him out of Games 2 and 3. He returned in Games 4 and 5, but the Heat were on fire before he could find some rhythm.

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Milwaukee had a 16-point lead entering the fourth quarter but allowed the Heat to come back and take the game to overtime.

The Bucks were poor in the fourth quarter and in overtime, going 5-of-25 from the field, while Antetokounmpo went 3-of-12 in the same period, including 3-of-9 from the free throw line.

They had no answer for the Heat's Jimmy Butler, who finished the game with 42 points. He averaged 37.6 points on 59.7% shooting, with 6.0 rebounds and 4.8 assists.

Antetokounmpo defends Bucks' season

After the game, the 28-year-old was asked if Milwaukee's season was a failure. He was angry with the question but gave a long and passionate answer, per ESPN.

"It's not a failure; it's steps to success. There's always steps to it. Michael Jordan played 15 years, won six championships. The other nine years was a failure? That's what you're telling me?"

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He added that there was no failure in sports, only good days and bad daysone can’t win every time in sports.

"It's a wrong question... Some days you're able to be successful, some days you're not. Some days it's your turn, some days it's not your turn. And that's what sports is about. You don't always win. Sometimes other people win. And this year somebody else is going to win, simple as that."

After the early exit, the focus now shifts to the offseason for the Bucks. Brook Lopez will become an unrestricted free agent, while Khris Middleton has a $40 million player option for the 2023-24 season, per Sporting News.

With a second straight disappointment in the postseason, the team has a lot to reflect on.

History of 8th-seed NBA upsets

Sports Brief earlier reported on the complete history of 8th seeds upsetting No. 1 seeds in NBA playoff history.

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The Bucks were the latest victims when they fell to the Heat, who had two play-in games to make the playoffs.

The Golden State Warriors stunned the Dallas Mavericks in 2007, while the 76ers shocked the Bulls in 2012.