"54, 45, 5, it doesn’t matter": Giannis Antetokounmpo keeps his head up after valiant effort goes to waste vs. Pacers

Pistons Bucks Basketball — Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s NBA season-high 54-point performance against the Indiana Pacers went to waste on Thursday as the Milwaukee Bucks lost 126-124. However, Antetokounmpo isn’t letting the loss get him down.

Following Thursday’s game, the two-time MVP shared a post on Instagram highlighting how his team can learn from the tough loss:

“54, 45, 5, it doesn’t matter. A lot of good things we can learn from today to get better,” Antetokounmpo said.

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The Bucks, who were without superstar point guard Damian Lillard (calf), trailed the Pacers by as many as 18 points before mounting a comeback. They then took a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter.

However, Antetokounmpo and Milwaukee collapsed offensively down the stretch of the fourth, allowing Indiana to steal the win. So, given their offensive struggles, the Bucks should have plenty to reflect on and learn from heading into their next game.

The Bucks’ loss ended their three-game winning streak, while the Pacers’ victory marked their third straight.

Milwaukee (5-3) next plays on the road against the Orlando Magic (4-4) on Saturday.

Indiana (6-3) next plays on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers (6-1) on Sunday.

Also Read: NBA fans destroy Giannis Antetokounmpo as his 54-point effort goes up in smoke vs. Pacers: "8 turnovers and choked"

Adrian Griffin on getting ejected for defending Giannis Antetokounmpo

Milwaukee Bucks coach Adrian Griffin was ejected with 7:52 remaining in the third quarter of Thursday’s game after receiving two consecutive technical fouls. Griffin received the techs after arguing that Antetokounmpo was fouled on a dunk.

Following the game, Griffin spoke about his ejection, saying that he was just standing up for his team’s superstar:

“I thought Giannis was getting hit quite a bit and voiced my opinion,” Griffin said.

“Next time I’ll be a little more delicate. He’s such a great human being and doesn’t complain, has such respect for the referees. It is my responsibility to make sure he’s protected.”

Despite Griffin’s gripe with the referees, Antetokounmpo finished with 18 free-throw attempts, the second most by any player this season. However, it appears that Griffin still isn’t satisfied with how the two-time MVP has been refereed this season.

Through eight games, Antetokounmpo is averaging 28.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 0.6 steals, 1.4 blocks and 0.6 3-pointers per game on 56.6% shooting.