Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo discussed how he’s felt this preseason since getting a clean up procedure done on his left knee back in June.
(via Milwaukee Bucks):
“I don’t know how I look. I’m rusty. I’m heavy. Last time I played was obviously against Miami, and even when I played that game; I wasn’t fully healthy. I had the procedure in the summer. I wasn’t able to participate in the national team, wasn’t able to even participate at practice. I couldn’t practice basically all summer. I think it was like three weeks ago I was cleared to actually have a sprint. So I feel like sometimes I expect too much out of myself and I grade myself very hard, but at the end of the day, it’s going to take some time. I’m going to have some bad games. I’m going to have some good games. I’m going to make some mistakes. But at the end of the day, I slowly, slowly keep on getting my rhythm, keep on getting where I want to be, keep on polishing my moves, keep on getting to my spots easier.
“But right now, those two games, I don’t know how I look. I haven’t watched the clip. I know that I’m playing just through instincts, but just my feeling, the way I feel normally is not there yet. I don’t expect it to be there. Even when I’ve had a great, healthy offseason; when the season starts, I started a little bit slow, a little bit rusty sometimes. It doesn’t matter, I don’t care because last year I had one of the best starts in my career, but I felt like I was still rusty. So for me, I don’t judge the game with points or how I look. I judge it how I feel, how I’m able to get to my spots, how I’m able to create for my teammates, how I can get downhill, how I can move my feet defensively. So for that, I’m not there; but we still have one more game on Friday. During the season, each day it’s important for me to get better, and I will get better. Hopefully, I can help my team be successful.”
