Giannis Antetokounmpo, as usual, put up an MVP-level performance, but it was far from enough for the Greek side. After barely managing to qualify for knockouts, Giannis & Co. couldn’t survive the German force as they succumbed in the quarter-finals. While the Greek Freak put in all the juice, averaging 25.8 ppg, to help his team cross the line, Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers selfishly wanted the team to fall short in the Olympics. Here’s why.

Without a doubt, the Wisconsin side had two consecutive heartbreaks in the NBA postseason. In the 2023 playoffs, the team crashed out in the first round despite earning first seed in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, an injury kept Giannis out of the series. Moreover, the team had a repeat of the 2023 postseason in the last season. The superstar power forward sustained a calf injury at the late end of the regular season and missed the entire postseason. And eventually, the Bucks crashed out in the first round.

So, as a head coach of the Bucks, Doc Rivers reflected on the past and had a selfish opinion on the Greek basketball team. Speaking in The Bill Simmons Podcast, River said, “I was happy that they made it to the Olympics but then I was like, ‘Okay now, let’s go home.’ so we can get back to work well.” The 62-year-old further opened up about an instance that scared him and ultimately blurted out his selfish ambition.

Rivers continued, “Oh my god! There was one fall in the first game and he (Giannis) went down hard. And me and John H, we sitting there like, ‘This cannot happen’. He pops up but after that fall, I swear, I was thinking, ‘Come on! two more losses and we should get out of here.” Importantly, he also added, how it’s “really important” for Giannis Antetokounmpo to stay healthy, considering his injuries in the last two playoffs.

What does Giannis Antetokounpo think about his postseason mishap?

It’s totally unfortunate for a 7-foot superstar to put in the hard yards in the regular season and miss out on the postseason with an injury. The Greek-Nigerian definitely feels he’s short of luck. Speaking of his expectations ahead of the off-season, Giannis said, “I have to do a better job of taking care of my body … You’d be surprised what I do for my body. I have to be a little bit lucky.”

Rivers also mentioned the aggressive workout routine of the big man in the off-season and warned against it. The coach said, “No one’s going to outwork him. His conditioning level is scary good, to slow him down good, especially in the summer times.” While the Paris Olympics slowed down his workout in the off-season, it also created a scare in Rivers’ mind.

Nevertheless, Giannis survived the tournament without injury and he has to take care of his body for the upcoming season. This time, the superstar will have a different approach, heading into the new season. Speaking of it, he added, “Maybe I have to even adjust my game. The way I play. There’s a lot of things. I’m willing to do anything in order for me to be right there on the court and not let my teammates down.” Let us know the difference that Giannis will bring to his game in the comments below.

Before leaving, do watch the Dual Threat Show hosted by BG12 where Bulldogs’ Asia Avinger details her experience with Kobe Bryant, her WNBA ROTY picks, and more in the video below.