Giannis Antetokounmpo. Image via: Kevin C. Cox/ Getty Images
After Miami beat the Sacramento Kings 114-108 on Sunday, he said his coach is Erik Spoelstra, called himself speechless and told anyone with questions to ask Rivers. He backed the words up with 29 points and 14 rebounds in the win, Miami’s second in its last three games. The Heat star spent 13 years with the Bucks and backed every head coach he had there, Rivers included. Rivers got the job after Adrian Griffin was fired midway through the 2023-24 season. Miami moved to 4-6 with the win. Antetokounmpo shot 14 of 23 and added three assists and two blocks to his 29 points and 14 rebounds. His jumper put the Heat up 112-105 with 59.1 seconds left. Thompson finished with 23 points and seven 3-pointers. Bam Adebayo had 18 points and eight rebounds, and Davion Mitchell finished with 17 points and 11 assists. As a team, Miami made 18 of 43 from deep, or 41.9%. Darius Acuff Jr. gave the Kings 32 points and 10 assists, but Sacramento fell to 1-9. The Kings cut it to 104-101 with 3:53 left and got no closer.
He then said he was speechless and described the reason behind Rivers’ words as something only Rivers can explain. Giannis Antetokounmpo has answered Doc Rivers, and he did it in a few sentences. Rivers, who coached him in Milwaukee, had called the Heat star hard to coach and questioned his basketball IQ. The comments were a big talking point, and Antetokounmpo had not responded until now. Asked about Rivers’ comments after the game, Antetokounmpo kept his answer direct. “He’s not my coach. My coach is Erik Spoelstra. “I’m speechless. … You gotta go ask him why he thought that. That’s on him. That’s not on me… That’s crazy,” Antetokounmpo added. Domantas Sabonis missed the game with left knee soreness.
The Heat visit Utah on Tuesday.