All season long, from the preseason to his exclusive interview with The Athletic earlier this week, Giannis Antetokounmpo has told anyone who would listen that the Bucks are going to be Lillard’s team down the stretch. That was exactly what happened as the Bucks closed out a clutch victory over the league’s best defensive team, handing Minnesota their sixth home loss of the season. “In my opinion, you gotta give the ball to your best players to operate and make something happen,” Antetokounmpo said on Friday. “Dame has the ball down the stretch. I have the ball down the stretch. I think we got some good shots. Dame got some good shots. I was able to get to the free throw line. I think Brook got a great 3 at the top of the key. Jae (Crowder) got a good one underneath. “Dame was able to operate, got his midrange, got some shots. We got some offensive rebounds. At the end of the day, you gotta give the ball to the best guys that can make something happen down the stretch.“ -via The Athletic / February 24, 2024