The Milwaukee Bucks finally got back on the right track on Saturday, snapping a nightmarish seven-game losing streak by defeating the Brooklyn Nets 116-99. Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks, per usual, scoring 29 points on a remarkably efficient 12-of-15 shooting from the field. 

Because of the fact that there was snowfall expected in the Milwaukee area on Saturday and maybe in part because of his team’s recent skid, coach Doc Rivers wasn’t expecting to see a packed house at the Fiserve Forum on Saturday night. He told his team as much, basically making it clear to them that they would likely need to create their own energy. 

Rivers was so wrong in that prediction that he started the post-win press conference with a thank you to the fans who showed up on Saturday, despite the fact that it was a challenge to get down to the arena.

“I told our guys before the game that we're going to have to create our own energy, because with the weather, you just can't expect a lot of people to come,” Rivers said. “When I walked out and saw it almost completely full, I was like,  man, Bucks fans are amazing.  Like, really, I told them that.

“I turned around with 15 seconds left, the people behind the table, and I said, ‘Thank you’, because I will never doubt you again. I mean, your loyalty and your faith, because that was really cool. And I thought that meant a lot to our guys.”

21,000

Rivers also sent a message to his superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, who surpassed the 21,000-point mark for his career in Saturday’s win. Rivers made it clear that not only is Antetokounmpo an all-time great player, he’s a great person and someone that the City of Milwaukee is exceptionally lucky to have.

“Every time he plays, I feel like he's breaking some kind of record,” Antetkounmpo said. “He is a generational player. Obviously, I've only been here a year and a half or two years or whatever it is, I don't know. But he's a generational person, too.

“I think that's where we're all lucky, especially the people in Milwaukee. Is the playing, obviously, but the person. When you can match his talent with who he is, that's doing a lot. So, very, very happy for him.”

Rivers and Antetokounmpo will look to keep the Bucks on the right path on Monday as they’re set to take on the Washington Wizards in DC on Monday.