Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Finally Breaks Silence on Pacers Rivalry

In the first round of these playoffs, the Bucks and the Pacers are two teams that don't like each other. There has been some hatred that has been festering between these two since last year.

Several incidents over the last couple of years have shown that. Everything from Tyrese Haliburton doing the "Dame Time" celebration in the NBA Cup to Ballgate, these two teams don't like each other.

There have already been a couple of shoving matches between these two teams in the first two games of the series. Giannis Antetokounmpo has tried his best to stay out of those.

Antetokounmpo has tried to just focus on his play on the court, but he was asked about the feud that these two teams have. He reiterated that mindset after Game 2.

"I like everybody, man," Antetokounmpo said. "I'm just a competitor. I'm not going to say, 'I don't like him or I don't like him.' Off the court, we can talk or do whatever you guys want to do. On the court, I'm a competitor. I'm going to go at you. That's how I feed my family. I have four kids. ... I feel like there is a lot of animosity, a lot of back-and-forth, but I try to stay away from it."

The Bucks have needed Antetokounmpo to stay away from that stuff because he has been the only player who has been able to play well offensively in each of the first two games.

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Antetokounmpo is too important to the Bucks for him to be getting technical fouls or being in danger of being thrown out. He understands that, so that's why he has tried his best not to get into any scrapes.

Antetokounmpo respects the Pacers, but he doesn't have to like them. He also doesn't have to show outward frustration, which might be better for the rest of the team.

If the Bucks are going to come back and win this series, they are going to have to control their emotions. The Pacers are going to try to provoke them into doing something stupid.

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