Giannis Antetokounmpo powered the Miami Heat to a hard-earned victory against the Utah Jazz, 115-109, at Delta Center on Tuesday. The Heat improved to 5-6, showing signs of life after their anemic start.
Antetokounmpo had team-highs of 30 points and 11 rebounds on top of four assists. He shot 12-of-21 from the field. He looked unstoppable against the Jazz, as if he was trying to prove something. He, however, insisted that the negative remarks of Doc Rivers, his former coach on the Milwaukee Bucks, did not fuel him.
In a report from The Athletic's Sam Amick, Antetokounmpo downplayed them as “external motivation.”
“That can make you hungry for a game or two, but it's either in you or it's not, you know what I'm saying? What people say, that's not going to make you hungry. In order for you to be really hungry, it's got to be the way you go about your life,” said the two-time MVP.
When asked if he has sleepless nights because of the outside noise, Antetokounmpo gave an emphatic response.
“Hell no. Losing sleep? Hell no.”
The 31-year-old superstar maintained that his self-belief “never wavers,” although he earlier admitted that he was surprised by Rivers' harsh comments, including claiming that Antetokounmpo was “not easy” to coach and does not have a “super IQ.”
Article Continues BelowAntetokounmpo repeatedly defended Rivers during their time together on the Bucks, expressing his deep respect for the longtime mentor.
The Heat had a 0-4 start after acquiring Antetokounmpo from the Bucks in the offseason, but the Antetokounmpo is far from panicking, understanding that the team is going through a process. They have made strides recently, and they should only get better as they progress.
Simply put, do not sleep on the Heat.