2 weeks Ago By Advait Jajodia
Kendrick Perkins was extremely candid with his choice of words when criticizing the Milwaukee Bucks at halftime during Game 3 against the Indiana Pacers . As Giannis Antetokounmpo and co. found themselves trailing by 10 points by the end of the opening two frames, the ESPN analyst ripped them for their lackluster performance throughout the series.
The Bucks entered Friday’s contest having already dropped the first two games of the first-round series. They looked poised to fall into an even deeper hole, facing the possibility of a 0-3 deficit as they entered halftime trailing 47-57. Explore the NBA Draft 2024 with our free NBA Mock Draft Simulator & be the GM of your favorite NBA team.
Perkins was harsh, yet fairly accurate with his assessment. The Bucks looked far from a team with championship aspirations. They committed seven turnovers by halftime and struggled on the offensive end, managing just 37.
5% from the field, which included an abysmal 17.4% from three-point land. However, the Bucks managed to flip the switch in the second half.
Backed by the Gary Trent Jr.-Antetokounmpo duo’s valiant 44-point explosion in the final two quarters, the Wisconsin side pulled off an improbable 117-101 win, trimming the deficit of the series to merely one game. Kendrick Perkins might not have much faith in the Milwaukee Bucks, however, he has often sung praise for Giannis Antetokounmpo during the 2024-2025 campaign.
Ahead of the 2025 playoffs, Perkins established the Greek Freak as one of the greatest in his position. Giannis has lived up to, if not exceeded, Perkins’ expectations in the postseason so far. Through the first three games of Milwaukee’s first-round series, the two-time MVP is averaging a dominant 35.
7 points, 14 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game while shooting a blistering 67.7% from the field.
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been one of the best performers of the playoffs at this point, leading all players in points and rebounds per game. But knowing his win-first mindset, these stats are meaningless to him unless they lead to Milwaukee’s success. Advait Jajodia Advait Jajodia is an NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda with over four years of experience in the field with The SportsRush.
Advait has a love of basketball that stems from playing the game, and has represented Mumbai North at the Inter-District State Championship and Maharashtra at the ASISC National Games. His favorite team is the New Orleans Pelicans, although Advait also has an affinity for the Golden State Warriors and San Antonio Spurs. His favorite player of all time was Kobe Bryant, as the Lakers legend's undeniable talent and mentality were just unignorable.
As for players in the current game, Stephen Curry, Zion Williamson, Victor Wembanyama, and Kyrie Irving are top of Advait's list. When not watching or writing about sports, Advait is a fan of true crime shows, board games and console gaming. Milwaukee Bucks Fans? Check out the latest Milwaukee Bucks depth chart , schedule , and roster updates all in one place.
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