Giannis Antetokounmpo said his controversial late windmill dunk vs. the Bulls was meant to reflect the Bucks' urgency, stressing that the team is "fighting for our lives" and needs to play with a win-at-all-costs mindset.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's return from a calf injury included a brief moment of controversy during the Milwaukee Bucks' 112–103 road win over the Chicago Bulls.
With the game decided, Antetokounmpo finished the final possession with a windmill dunk, a play that drew a reaction from the Bulls.
Chicago center Nikola Vucevic approached the Bucks star afterward, leading to an exchange of words that resulted in a short shoving incident near midcourt involving players from both teams.
After the game, Giannis explained that the dunk reflected his competitive mindset and the team's current situation:
"This is real talk, I've been 13 years in the league, if we keep on losing, brother, probably half the team's not gonna be here. We're not going to make the playoffs. I really don't care.
"At the end of the day, I just want to be available, be healthy, and help my team win. And if [that dunk] is what has to happen for them -- everybody -- to wake up and understand that we're fighting for our lives and we gotta get our hands dirty, so be it."
Vucevic, however, took a jab at Antetokounmpo when asked about the incident:
"I assume Giannis was mad about that report that came out that the Bulls wouldn't trade for him, and he wanted to prove a point."
Giannis had 29 points and eight rebounds in his victorious return.
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