MILWAUKEE -- Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo acknowledged Tuesday's 121-111 victory over the New York Knicks carried some extra significance, but only because the Knicks swept the Bucks in last season's series.
Indeed, New York went 3-0 against Milwaukee in 2024-25, winning those games by an average margin of 22 points, which was on Antetokounmpo's mind entering this game.
"They were way better than us last year, and we didn't make it tough for them," Antetokounmpo said after scoring 37 points, grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 7 assists. "It was very easy in my opinion. And as the leader of this team, I remember. I don't forget things. And I try to, from early at shootaround, set the tone for the team and try to remind them, last year, they swept us."
Milwaukee's struggles extended to each of the top teams in the Eastern Conference a season ago, going 0-9 against the top three seeds in the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics and the Knicks.
But the Bucks set a different tone on Tuesday, rallying from down 14 points in the first half for a comeback victory.
Antetokounmpo led the charge with a huge third quarter, during which he scored 14 points and dished out four assists as the Bucks outscored the Knicks 35-20. After one sequence midway through the third, Antetokounmpo blocked a layup attempt from Mikal Bridges then flushed a dunk on the other end of the floor. As Antetokounmpo walked up the court, he pointed to himself and motioned to the crowd.
"This is my city. I love when it's tough," Antetokounmpo recalled saying. "I thrive when it's tough. When you make it tough, I thrive."
Antetokounmpo, who became the first player in league history with at least 30 points on 60% shooting or better in each of his first four games of a season, would add he didn't have any deeper meaning beyond the message and that it was just in the heat of the moment.
Antetokounmpo has been connected to the Knicks after a report over the summer from ESPN's Shams Charania that Antetokounmpo considered New York the lone destination he would have wanted to play outside of Milwaukee. The two sides engaged in brief trade conversations that never gained traction.
Yet Antetokounmpo did not want to get into offseason speculation much on Tuesday, saying his focus was on basketball and the Bucks' next game against the visiting Golden State Warriors on Thursday.
"What matters right now is we have a game in two days against Golden State," he said. "Try to stay locked in and get two in a row."