An understandably dejected Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke to reporters after the game, and it came as no surprise that the former back-to-back MVP was in a somber mood. It was at that point that Antetokounmpo made a painful statement about the series loss.

The Bucks had won the NBA championship in 2021, but they have now exited the playoffs in the first round three years in a row. Antetokounmpo can opt out of his contract in the summer of 2027, and in the meantime, the Bucks have an aging and thinning roster with limited trade assets.