Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks had big aspirations this season after being dumped in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last season by the Boston Celtics.
They claimed the best record in the NBA during the regular season, but they fell well short of their ultimate goal when they were routed by the Miami Heat in the first round of the playoffs in five games.
Head coach Mike Budenholzer was a casualty of that loss, as he was fired shortly afterward despite a fairly successful tenure in Milwaukee.
But Antetokounmpo still feels grateful, and he took to Twitter to thank fans for supporting him and his team all season long.
Blessed to have played my 10th NBA season. To my Bucks fans and fans all around the world, THANK YOU. Thank you for your love and support. It’s time to get better and ready for year 11! See you soon. 🙏🏾😁 pic.twitter.com/TykDxNvL7Y
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) May 17, 2023
Although Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid was named this year’s MVP, and even though the Denver Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic took home the award in both of the prior two seasons, there’s still a feeling among many that Antetokounmpo is the game’s best all-around player.
He averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists a game in the regular season, and his defensive versatility gives him an advantage over Jokic, who is regarded as a lackluster defender, and Embiid, who can block shots but cannot switch onto smaller players on the perimeter.
All season, the Greek native led Milwaukee and kept them at or near the top of the league despite multiple injuries to Khris Middleton, arguably their second-best player, that limited him to 33 games.
One has to assume that Antetokounmpo and his Bucks will have lots of motivation next season to win the NBA championship for the first time since 2021.
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