Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks brings the ball up court against the Phoenix Suns during the first half in Game One of the NBA Finals at Phoenix Suns Arena on July 06, 2021 in Phoenix, Arizona. Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP
Giannis Antetokounmpo has the green light again in Game 2 as the Milwaukee Bucks attempt to even the score of the NBA Finals with the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.
“I feel good,” Antetokounmpo said Wednesday. “I felt good (Tuesday). My body feels good. Going into Game 2, hopefully I can feel more comfortable. Make more plays.”
Antetokounmpo, presumed by many to be done for the season after hyperextending his left knee in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference finals, made an impactful return for Game 1 on Tuesday with 20 points and 17 rebounds in 35 minutes for Milwaukee in defeat.
Even so, an impressive showing for a player who said he thought he might “be out for a year” when he was first injured.
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On Wednesday, Antetokounmpo said he felt great after the game and there was no cause for concern when the team huddled for practice in Phoenix.
“We’re fortunate to see the work that goes on behind the scenes. He is always pushing,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said Wednesday. “Always impressing. … There’s so much respect for Giannis for what he does.”
Faced with the prospect of potential free agency this summer, Antetokounmpo, signed long-term with the Bucks in the offseason, and said his focus is still on bringing the Bucks a championship.
“To win a championship in Milwaukee — it’s a goal of mine. You see a lot of people have different routes. You can never judge anybody for the way he chooses to win a championship,” Antetokounmpo said.
“At the end of the day, doing it with the team that you started … it means more. To me, it’s like a dream. It’s a goal of mine. Not just me, everybody. Every player that plays in the NBA wants to win a championship. Most of them. But doing it with the team that drafted you with the city that embraced you and the organization that helped you, it means a lot.”