Giannis Antetokounmpo Says Bucks' Season Wasn't a Failure: 'It's Steps to Success'

After a stunning first-round playoff loss to the Miami Heat, Giannis Antetokounmpo pushed back against the notion that this season was a failure for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Responding to a question from The Athletic's Eric Nehm during the postgame press conference, Antetokounmpo said "it's steps to success" when talking about the totality of the 2022-23 campaign:

"It's a wrong question; there's no failure in sports. There's good days, bad days. Some days you're able to be successful, some days you're not. Some days it's your turn, some days it's not your turn. And that's what sports is about. You don't always win. Sometimes other people win. And this year somebody else is going to win, simple as that."

The Bucks were heavily favored to win the NBA championship at the start of the postseason. They had the league's best record during the regular season (58-24), including winning 34 of their final 45 games dating back to Jan. 3.

Antetokounmpo is one of three finalists for the NBA MVP award. He averaged 31.1 points, 11.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game in 63 starts coming into the playoffs.

A back injury suffered early in Game 1 against the Heat did keep Antetokounmpo out for the next two games. The seven-time All-Star seemed fine upon returning, combining for 64 points, 30 rebounds and 16 assists over the past two games.

Game 5 can only be described as a collapse by the Bucks. They had a 16-point at the start of the fourth quarter, but got outscored 32-16 over the final 12 minutes of regulation. Jimmy Butler scored at the basket on an inbounds pass with 2.1 seconds left to tie the score and force overtime.

Milwaukee is the fourth No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 8 seed in a best-of-seven playoff series. This is the first time it's happened since 2012 when the Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Chicago Bulls after Derrick Rose tore his ACL in Game 1.

The Bucks have lost in the first two rounds of the playoffs three times in the past four years and five times since the 2016-17 season.

Team sports are inherently binary with one winner and one loser in a game, but a postseason loss doesn't automatically make the season a failure. Only one team out of 30 in the NBA is going to be happy after the Finals.

There's certainly valid criticism to levy at the Bucks, Antetokounmpo and head coach Mike Budenholzer. Whether or not this loss qualifies as a failure is, ultimately, in the eye of the beholder.