Gilbert Arenas Blasts Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bucks for Shock First Round Exit

Gilbert Arenas Blasts Giannis Antetokounmpo and Bucks for Shock First Round Exit

Edwin Kiplagat
updated at April 28, 2023 at 4:13 PM
  • Gilbert Arenas disagrees with Giannis Antetokounmpo that the Milwaukee Bucks' first-round exit was not a failure
  • The former NBA star said losing to an 8th seed as the favorite and the No. 1 seed is a failure
  • The Bucks were expected to make another run this season, but Jimmy Butler and the Miami Heat stunned them

The Milwaukee Bucks were stunned by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs. They were knocked out of the postseason in five games in one of the biggest collapses in recent playoff history.

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas has criticized Giannis Antetokounmpo's post-game interview, in which he said his team did not fail, offering a different perspective on what failure and success are.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, NBA, Milwaukee Bucks, Miami Heat, Kevin Love, Mike Budenholzer
The Bucks won the NBA title in 2021. Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE.
Source: Getty Images

The Bucks were the favorites to lift the Larry O'Brien Trophy for a second time in three years, but in Game 5, they played without urgency and care. The final plays in regulation and overtime showed they were not locked in.

They blew double-digit leads in both Games 4 and 5, letting Heat star Jimmy Butler explode in both games. The Heat were also without Tyler Herro, who sustained a hand injury in Game 1.

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The Bucks were just the sixth No. 1 seed to lose to the 8th seed in NBA playoff history.

Arenas on Antetokounmpo's viral interview

After the game, Antetokounmpo was angry after a reporter asked him if their season was a failure. He gave a long answer, referencing Michael Jordan, per ESPN.

"It's not a failure; it's steps to success," Antetokounmpo said. "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?"

(Starts at 16:22)

Former NBA star Gilbert Arenas disagreed with Antetokounmpo's point of view on a recent episode of 'Gil's Arena.'

"That was a great argument for him if he was a lawyer, I'm not even gonna lie," Arenas said. "It was amazing. It made you really believe like, 'Yeah, you know, Giannis is right.' But at the end of the day, you were supposed to win a championship, or you was supposed to be in that running. You were the favorite, you was in the top 3 of winning a championship. ... Did you fail? Yes. If you lost [in] the first round, you(expletive) failed. You lost to the eighth seed," via Fadeaway World.

The Bucks will have a lot to reflect upon in the offseason, and so long as Antetokounmpo is healthy, the Bucks will be expected to win the NBA title.

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.

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.

Authors
Edwin Kiplagat photo
Edwin Kiplagat
Edwin Kiplagat has five years of experience in journalism working as a Sports Editor at Africa Insight Communications and ESPN. Edwin Kiplagat is a Bachelor's Degree holder in journalism from the Multimedia University of Kenya.