By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Giannis Antetokounmpo admitted following Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals series between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Miami Heat that his side should play harder but added that a comeback from the 3-0 hole is possible.
“They are a great team. You know they are going to play hard,” he mentioned referring to the Heat bringing their a-game throughout the best-of-seven series so far, “They are playing hard for 48 minutes. For you to be able to beat them, you got to match that.”
The Greek Freak put up 21 points and 16 rebounds, missed the triple-double for one assist. He became the 32nd player to reach 1,000 playoff points within his first 42 postseason appearances. However, the 87-75 lead going into the fourth quarter did not prove enough.
“You can’t play hard for 36 minutes, you got to bring it for 48 minutes,” he pointed out commenting on the final period of Game 3, “We knew it coming to this series. They are playing harder than us. We got to play harder, got to play better, that’s it.”
The Heat are up 3-0 ahead of Sunday’s Game 4, but they still need one more win to clinch the best-of-seven series and advance to the Eastern Conference finals. Antetokounmpo’s side must go undefeated in four straight contests.
“If there’s a team that can beat a team four straight it can be us. We just have to believe in ourselves, we can do it,” he said, “We’ve done things that nobody believed we can do. I believe, I trust, and I love my teammates. I want my teammates to be confident, I am confident, we can do it.”
Photo Credit: Getty Images