Giannis Antetokounmpo says the NBA Cup lacks the atmosphere of the EuroLeague Final Four, but the intensity of the games is similar: "I wish the NBA could have that type of atmosphere here."
Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered another dominant performance on Saturday night, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a 110-102 victory over the Atlanta Hawks and securing their spot in the NBA Cup final.
After the single-elimination game, the Greek superstar was asked to compare the atmosphere in Las Vegas to that of the EuroLeague Final Four, which he attended last season.
"That was my first Final Four in Berlin this year. Obviously, the atmosphere there is a little bit different with the crowd of Olympiacos, Panathinaikos, Fenerbahce, and Real Madrid. It's kind of different," Giannis shared with a smile.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
| MIN: | 35.21 |
| PTS: | 32.7 (61.4%) |
| REB: | 11.48 |
| As: | 6.13 |
| ST: | 0.61 |
| BL: | 1.57 |
| TO: | 3.35 |
| GM: | 23 |
"I wish we had that kind of atmosphere in the NBA, but we don't," he continued. "But the intensity within the game, I think, is pretty much the same. Everyone understands that it's one game, and you have to play well. If you don't, you get knocked out.
"So, the intensity within the game from the teams, you see high-level basketball, teams are competing, the intensity is high. In that aspect, it's pretty much the same. The only thing that's different, I believe, is the atmosphere. I wish the NBA could have that type of atmosphere here."
Giannis shined in front of the Las Vegas crowd in the semifinal, nearly securing a triple-double with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and nine assists.
The Bucks will face the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Cup championship game on Tuesday at 8:30 PM ET.
Support BasketNews so we could make even better content.
