All they want for Christmas is…to play.
It's hard to understand why the Bucks aren't one of the 10 teams to play Wednesday on Christmas Day, which is considered one of the NBA's signature days on the league calendar.
Milwaukee has become a Christmas Day staple for the NBA, with games scheduled for Dec. 25 for the past six seasons, but that will end this year, a decision that has some Bucks players questioning the rationale. there was.
“There are a lot of teams playing over Christmas so we have to think about who we pick in this slot, not just two or four teams.” Brook Lopez told The Athletic. “No, they play a lot of games on Christmas. Well, I know this is rude, but they don't schedule it. I don't know how that happened.”
But no one seems to have trained as hard as Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo admitted he's “a little upset, maybe even questioning” the NBA's decision to keep them out of the Christmas celebrations before he tries to figure it all out.
“There has to be an algorithm, because if it's like a popularity contest, I can provide the facts,” Antetokounmpo told the outlet. “You want me to do that? Dame, two of the NBA All-Star starters. [Lillard] And Giannis, and All-Star MVP, right? And the player who received the number one vote in the entire NBA, not the East, won't play in the Christmas game? what? No, that's true.
“The voting was done last year. I was No. 1. Dame was the starter. I was the starter. Dame won MVP. Dame won the 3-point contest. Maybe it doesn't matter. Maybe last year we went east. I think they were one of the best teams in the division. Maybe we won't have a Christmas game. Maybe it's because the market is small. I would like to believe that the NBA I think they have an algorithm that picks the teams that get the most attention and the most viewers that day.”
The Bucks, who recently won the NBA Cup, have won five of their last six games heading into Monday night's game against the Bulls and are tied with some of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
The Christmas Day schedule includes the Knicks, Spurs, Timberwolves, Mavericks, 76ers, Celtics, Lakers, Warriors, Nuggets and Suns.
The only bright side is that Antetokounmpo and his Milwaukee teammates will be able to celebrate Christmas at home for the first time since 2017.
“I'm pissed,” Antetokounmpo said. “But I'm also happy because it's my first Christmas since 2017 – which was the last time I actually spent Christmas like a normal person. I didn't go to the daytime games. For the first time, I can sit on my couch and watch NBA basketball and be entertained by other players instead of being the one being entertained.”
