With the season having come to a close, a number of the Milwaukee Bucks players spoke to the media in exit interviews on Friday.
The Milwaukee Bucks’ season is finished for another year, and as such, it’s a time to look both backward and forward for players and fans alike.
Although the disappointment of a hard-fought first round playoff exit at the hands of the Toronto Raptors remains fresh in the minds of everyone involved with the Bucks, the NBA moves fast and for players, plans for offseason work and vacations will quickly be put into effect.
As is tradition around the league, a number of Bucks players were available to the media for exit interviews on Friday morning. The subjects ranged from thoughts on Game 6 and the playoff experience overall, to bigger picture assessments of the season and the bright future that lies ahead for the Bucks.
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Notable Bucks such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jabari Parker, Greg Monroe and Jason Terry were among those who didn’t get a chance to speak to the media on this occasion, although Antetokounmpo at least passed on a message to the fans via Twitter.
Still, that left a range of players with different perspectives, takeaways and experience with a chance to share their thoughts on the season, and seven Bucks did exactly that.
If you’d like to watch the interviews, the Bucks shared all of the interviews on Periscope at the team’s official Twitter account. The exit interviews obviously wouldn’t be possible without the work of journalists such as Charles Gardner, Eric Nehm, Matt Velazquez and many more either, so check out their Twitter accounts for further details from today’s interactions.
John Henson
On the Game 6 comeback:
"“Probably one of the greatest comebacks I’ve ever been a part of. I was just excited as a fan, honestly. It was a good series. I think Game 2 was the game that if a couple of shots fall, we probably wouldn’t be talking right now. But it is what is, it was a good run with a couple of guys banged up.”"
On lessons for next year:
"“I think when things get rough a little bit more cohesiveness would be good for our team. We drop a game we kind of falter a little bit, where we should probably come together. In the playoffs, you’re going to drop a game so you have to stay the course.”"
On how the team takes the next step:
"“Now I think it’s about retaining free agents, and guys like Tony [Snell], and even Moose [Greg Monroe] who has the option to opt out. You know, retaining and building, I think that’s how you become a team who progresses next year, by keeping some of the pieces together.”"
Thon Maker
On learning how to make a defensive impact:
"“Not just the playoffs, but also throughout the whole season, I learned defensively. Ever since I first came to the NBA I’ve just learned how much ground I can cover with my length. Just by watching film from Summer League, I saw that right away. I’ve been using it on the defensive end, and it feels really good to know where I’m at at this point. This was my rookie year, and this is going to be a heck of a ride.”"
On his fit with the Bucks:
"“On draft night, people usually say they just want to go on the right team. It couldn’t have landed any more perfect than this. I don’t know, God is amazing and just does crazy things when you least expect them, and this is one of the biggest ones.”"
On whether he thought the Bucks were going to pull through in Game 6:
"“I believed so. We had some fight in us and it doesn’t take much for our unit to get motivated. The crowd was a big part of that also. Every single play they were louder and louder, and it just kept getting louder and louder. I saw at one point Toronto didn’t know what to run on the offensive end because the crowd just kept getting loud at them. I thought last night was a testament to the kind of fight we have in us as a unit.”"
On cutting down on his foul trouble:
"“Just really using my feet first and staying disciplined not jumping for every pump fake. I’ve done a good job of not going for every pump fake — I’ve got some lately — but it’s just really about being patient on the defensive end and using my feet. And understanding that this is a league where everybody is talented and they can score. Sometimes I used to get frustrated as I never wanted anyone to score, and I spoke with coach Kidd and he said you’ve got to understand this is a league where everybody is talented and somebody is going to score at some point, so you’ve just got to take the ball out and continue to play.”"
On his biggest focus in the offseason:
"“The biggest one for me is building my body. You know, hitting the weight room, eating well, and just getting into a habit of eating a certain way. Hitting the weight room is going to be the biggest thing for me.”"
On his plans for the summer:
"“This summer I’ll mostly be here [in Milwaukee]. Working out a lot here. Maybe take a little trip somewhere and go see my family, but other than that I’ll be here.”"
Mirza Teletovic
On Milwaukee’s playoff performance:
"“Once we get to the playoffs we can beat basically anybody, you know, and it was a tough series against Toronto — Toronto is a tough team — but we had our chances and this team has a lot of things it can get better at. I think as time goes by, if this team sticks together, this will only be the beginning.”"
On his struggles this season:
"“For me, personally, it was tough. I couldn’t bring to the table what I normally bring. It’s something that I was supposed to do and bring to this team, but I couldn’t. I’ll try to do better.”"
On first year adjustments as a Buck:
"“With most shooting, you make some, and you miss. That’s how basketball is, that’s how shooting is. Not just me, but with everybody. But you know, this was the first year with everything kind of new, I’m an experienced guy and should be able to adjust better to it, but obviously we didn’t have time for certain things as we had to get to winning, because if we didn’t do that we wouldn’t have made the playoffs.”"
On the importance of most of the team returning next year:
"“A lot of people don’t realize how important it is to have the same core and same guys come back, because every year if you add new people it takes time to adjust and it takes time to get guys comfortable and produce the way you’re supposed to.”"
Matthew Dellavedova
On the lessons the team will have learned from the playoffs:
"“I think the physicality that the playoffs bring. It’s a bit of a different game out there compared to the regular season when every possession counts, but you have to be locked in, and on your scouting report and defensive plan, so I think it was a great experience for everyone. We can learn a lot from it. Disappointing that we couldn’t go further and keep getting better, we had our opportunities and we just couldn’t make the most of them, but I think overall the experience of getting to the playoffs and having this disappointment will fuel our future success.”"
On his individual play this year:
"“I think I learned a lot about myself and having to lead in the NBA. It was a great experience for me. I didn’t play as well as I would have liked this year, but I think I still helped the team. I don’t have any national team commitments this summer, so this summer has been circled on my calendar for a while to really be able to put in some good offseason work on my body. And on my game, to come back better next season, improved and ready to go.”"
On how the Bucks can kick on to better things next season:
"“I think we’re not really concerned with how other people view us. It’s more really about what our goals are and what we want to achieve. For us, it isn’t just getting to the playoffs or winning a round, we really want to do something special here. Unfortunately it wasn’t this year, but I think we can all learn a lot from this year and what happened in the playoffs and during the season, and we can improve on a lot of things. I think if we all get better individually, and all continue to get better as a team and playing with each other with little reads in the game on both ends of the floor, we can do something special. But we’re not going to be satisfied with just making the playoffs one year and not really doing anything the next year.”"
Rashad Vaughn
On the second half run in Game 6:
"“It was crazy in there. Right when coach said, ‘It’s gonna hurt, it’s gonna hurt’, I knew we were going to make a run. You could just see it in everybody’s eyes that they were going to go out there and give everything, and they did that.”"
On his sophomore season:
"“I think I learned a lot. The times I played, I think I played well, but you know, it’s just another year to learn, grow, and have some new teammates that I learned from. There was always Khris [Middleton] to help me out during the year. And you know, I’ll just go through the summer, try to get better, and come back to try to compete for some minutes.”"
On learning from Khris Middleton and Jason Terry:
"“They’ve been everything. Even last year when it was just Khris, but JET coming here helped me out a lot. Having that vet leadership, him being in the league so long and being so old, he helped me out with a lot of things. He’s even going to help me out this summer. I’m going to go down and work with him for about a week, same with Khris, just trying to keep that going.”"
On what the future holds for the team:
"“I think this is the start of something beautiful. With the new arena and the practice facility, and just this team being young. You’ve got so many players blossoming. Giannis was an All-Star this year, Jabari [Parker] will be back, Khris played well but he was coming off an injury as well. So I think in the summer, those guys they’re going to get better and they’re going to be back. I think some of the other guys too. You’ve got Tony Snell who had a great year and is going to come back with confidence and put in work, so it’s definitely going to be the start of something beautiful.”"
Malcolm Brogdon
On potentially winning the league’s Rookie of the Year award:
"“It would be nice to get that award, but I feel like I know what I did this season and I know what I need to work on. So getting that award doesn’t make me and it doesn’t break me, it’s just an accolade.”"
On what he learned from playoff experience:
"“That it’s another level. Another level of intensity, another level of focus. And you know, the more experienced teams usually win, they have the edge, but the younger teams can take you by surprise for sure.”"
On what he hopes to improve on this summer:
"“I think I have a lot of things. I’m going to continue to shoot the three and make sure that gets better, but I think my post game can get better. I think my in between game, coming off ball screens, creating space for my shot can get better. And then my finishing around the rim, I think I can continue to get better at that. Watching film and watching guys like Kyrie [Irving], watching guys like Steph [Curry], they have a great touch around the rim with both hands and I want to be ambidextrous like that.”"
On the rookie wall:
"“It’s real for sure. I think it’s real. I think mine was different. I’m an older player coming into the NBA so mine was not as substantial as other guys, but I think everyone does hit it and it’s how you approach it, you’ve got to acknowledge that you’re hitting it and force yourself to get through it.”"
On how the Bucks can break through and win a series:
"“Honestly I think it’s going to take experience in the playoffs, and that’s what we got this year. I think we’ll refocus. The training staff have said every year that the team comes back in better and better shape, I think this season we’ll come back in even better shape. This is a young and very talented team and there’s no limit to what we’ll achieve.”"
Tony Snell
On arriving in Milwaukee late before the season started via a trade with Chicago:
"“It was amazing, man. The grace of God put me in a position that gave me another chance to play, and I’m very grateful for it.”"
On how he fit so well with the Bucks:
"“The whole organization believed in me and allowed me to do what I can do best to help this team, get to the playoffs, and try to get to the next round. But there are amazing players — the relationships I’ve built with them — the coaches, the whole organization is amazing.”"
On preparing for his upcoming free agency:
"“I’m just going to take it day by day. I’ll ask my mom about it and be around my family. You know, just that comfort level after that long season we’ve had and the ups and downs. You know, living my normal life until the conversation starts.”"
On the potential of Milwaukee’s core group:
"“The sky’s the limit, the sky’s the limit. Especially with a guy like Giannis, JP [Jabari Parker] coming back, Khris is amazing. You’ve got Malcolm who was a great rookie. Thon did amazing this year. You’ve got a lot of great players on this team.”"
On how he earned his reputation as a great teammate:
"“Just being positive. Positivity takes you a long way. You can’t focus on the negative things in life, you’ve got to focus on the positives and that rubs off on people.”"
Next: Win In 6 Podcast #122: A Memorable Season Ends In Memorable Fashion
The next time we hear from many of these Bucks in a structured setting, media day will be here and a new season upon us. Let’s hope the Bucks can make some good decisions this summer and come back better than ever.