[Nehm] Inside Bucks’ season from hell: Giannis trade talk, odd compliments and so much losing
The Bucks’ first visit to Philadelphia, on Jan. 23, was their first game since Antetokounmpo suffered his second calf strain of the season against the Denver Nuggets.
Despite initially straining his calf during the first half of that game, Antetokounmpo played through clear and obvious pain to try to help the Bucks pull off a comeback win. In doing so, Antetokounmpo made his injury even worse. Following the game, he told reporters he heard a pop in his right knee in the game’s final moments and knew that he had strained his soleus, which would require a four-to-six-week absence to get healthy.
Following a March 21 morning shootaround in Phoenix, multiple league sources told The Athletic that Rivers called a group of veteran players together for a meeting in Mortgage Matchup Center. Per multiple sources with knowledge of the situation, Rivers informed the veterans that he believed they had failed him this season and questioned the group’s commitment, conditioning, focus and leadership.
Rivers’ message incensed the group, and the players stood up for themselves, firing back at the head coach over his claims.
“That’s when I checked out on this season,” one of the veterans told The Athletic.
Potential issues with the organization’s decision-makers, however, were not limited to only Rivers. Multiple team sources detailed how they believed Horst’s behavior changed this season, as well. When the Bucks were annually competing for the NBA’s best record, Horst was a fixture around the team, regularly attending shootarounds on the road and popping into the locker room to chat with players. His presence was noticeable, clear and consistent.
Multiple team sources told The Athletic that they felt as though Horst’s presence this season was more sporadic, with the general manager joining the team for fewer road games and keeping a greater distance from the team than he had in previous seasons.
Source: The Athletic