Giannis Antetokounmpo puts NBA on blast for snubbing Bucks from Christmas Day schedule

Two-time MVP and one-time NBA champion Giannis Antetokounmpo questions the NBA's decision to snub them from the Christmas Day games.

Giannis Antetokounmpo puts NBA on blast for snubbing Bucks from Christmas Day schedule

Giannis blasts the NBA for snubbing them from the Christmas Day games

Giannis Antetokounmpo, alongside his longtime teammate, Kris Middleton, has participated in Christmas Day games for six consecutive years since 2018. Unfortunately, they are not on the schedule for a game this year, which has naturally disappointed Bucks fans, who are accustomed to watching their favorite team on TV with their families on Christmas Day.

However, no one was more flustered over being snubbed from this year’s matchup than the leader of the Bucks squad, Antetokounmpo. While speaking to The Athletic’s Eric Nehm, Antetokounmpo didn’t hold back, blasting the NBA and the people in suits who decide upon the fixtures.

I believe we were one of the best teams in the East last year. Maybe not this year, okay. But we don’t get a Christmas game. Why? Because we’re in a small market? I think there’s an algorithm within the NBA that they use to choose which team will get the most attention, the most viewership that day.

Giannis Antetokounmpo via The Athletic

No one is going to dispute the Bucks being one of the top championship contenders, especially since they won the NBA Cup. Currently they sit in 5th place in the Eastern Conference; they were sluggish to start, but since then, they have found their groove.

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Since defeating the Phoenix Suns to win the NBA Championship title in 2021, they have been consistently improving. To get cut out of the Christmas day game sure stings a bit. Still, it may not be such a bad thing to be home with your family, enjoying some eggnog and Christmas games.

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Gilbert Arenas SHUTS UP after Giannis Antetokounmpo wins NBA Cup MVP

Gilbert Arenas has always flip-flopped on his statements about Giannis Antetokounmpo. One day he calls him the most feared player on the court; the next, Arenas says he doesn’t understand basketball. However, it seems like Arenas has finally been silenced over his criticism of Antetokounmpo since they won the NBA Cup, while the latter was named MVP.

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Demolishing the number one seed in a very decisive victory of 97-81 over the OKC, the Bucks proved to the panel of Gil’s Arena show that they can still compete for a championship. Acknowledging Giannis’ greatness and contribution to the Bucks, Gil still decided to attack the rest of the Bucks crew besides Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.

He claimed that the team lacks offensive versatility and relies overly on those two stars. Arenas also went on to say that the rest of the roster is unreliable. Gil seemed frustrated with the Thunders for not being able to effectively exploit Giannis’s foul trouble during the NBA Cup final, calling the coaching decision “stupid.”

While he has toned down his criticism of Giannis Antetokounmpo for now, he still went hard on the rest of the Bucks’ roster, including their head coach, Doc Rivers. Arenas even made a facetious suggestion to the Bucks’ coaching staff, proposing that they could copy some plays from NBA 2K25 to address their lack of offensive creativity.