Giannis Antetokounmpo gets his revenge and demands support

Giannis Antetokounmpo doesn’t need anyone to remind him of past losses. He stores them as fuel. After the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the New York Knicks 121-111, the Greek forward made it clear that this game carried emotional weight. “They swept us last year… As the leader of this team, I remember. I don’t forget things,” he said, as quoted by Athlonsports. And his performance backed it up: he’s averaging 36 points and 16 rebounds per game, with three double-doubles in four outings.

Milwaukee now holds a 3-1 record, and their only loss wasn’t on Giannis Antetokounmpo. Against the Cavaliers, he dropped 40 points, grabbed 14 boards, dished out nine assists, and added two blocks and two steals in just 33 minutes. His level is beyond question. But the Greek star leads not just with stats—he leads with memory. “I try to set the tone from the start of practice,” he said. “I remind them: last year we got swept, same with the Cavs. The team responded the right way, so I’m happy.”

Strategic motivation

Giannis Antetokounmpo isn’t just motivated by pride—it’s part of a bigger plan. He knows the Bucks need more than his dominance to make a deep playoff run. And while several players have stepped up, there’s still no clear second option. Gary Trent Jr. hit five threes against the Wizards, Cole Anthony came off the bench with 23 points versus the Raptors, AJ Green added 20 against Cleveland, and Ryan Rollins followed Giannis with 25 points and four steals against the Knicks.

Giannis Antetokounmpo was asked if there was any extra motivation to playing the Knicks tonight:

“For sure it was a lot extra. They swept us last year. We didn’t make it tough for them. It was very easy in my opinion. As a leader of this team I remember. I don’t forget things” pic.twitter.com/fbVlvZwA3J

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) October 29, 2025

The rotation is deep, but consistency is what matters. Back in 2021, Khris Middleton was that reliable co-star who helped Giannis Antetokounmpo lead Milwaukee to a championship. Now, the Bucks are still searching for someone to fill that role in a seven-game series against teams like New York or Cleveland, both stacked with All-Stars in their prime.

This season is a chance for Milwaukee’s role players to step up. If one of them rises to the occasion, they could become the next trusted partner for Giannis Antetokounmpo. For now, the Greek Freak is carrying the load—through numbers, leadership, and a memory that doesn’t forgive.