For the first time since 2017, the Bucks aren’t playing basketball on Christmas Day and they seem to have taken that personally.
Doc Rivers certainly took note and when training camp began on Monday, he linked it to an overall theme – that his team is being disregarded in 2024-25.
“We all pay attention to it,” Rivers said, via ESPN. “We see it, we read it. … I don’t think I’ll have to use it, it’ll use itself, if you know what I mean.”
Khris Middleton shared the same feeling.
“I think, somewhat, we’ve been overlooked,” Middleton said. “We should have had a Christmas Day game, I believe. But the NBA felt different. I don’t need that as extra motivation … but disappointed a little bit.”
Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo added, “We’ve always been overlooked.”
The Bucks had a disappointing end to the postseason, after their star players went down with injury and exited the playoffs in the first-round for the second straight season.
Giannis thinks last year was one to forget after coaching changes and a roster reshuffling.
“Last year, we felt like we were all over the place,” Antetokounmpo said.
But, Middleton thinks the team are still considered one of the best in the league.
“We’re definitely in that group,” Middleton said. “You have Dame and Giannis, for sure. You include myself, Brook [Lopez], the rest of the crew — we’re definitely one of the top contenders in the East, no matter who else they’ve [added] out there or who else has won in the past. I’m sure those teams feel the same way about themselves too.”
It was Damian Lillard’s first season away from Portland after 11 seasons, so naturally there were some growing pains.
Lillard says he was in a much better position this year than he was last year when leaving home to head to training camp.
He’s feeling fitter as well, since he wasn’t able to work out consistently last summer before he was traded.
“They gon’ get the real version of me this year,” Lillard said.
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