Milwaukee Bucks coach Jason Kidd made a change to his starting lineup before Wednesday's game against the Cavaliers, relegating Giannis Antetokounmpo to the bench in favor of Jared Dudley. When asked about the reason for the adjustment prior to the game, Kidd told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "nothing, just making a change." Antentkounmpo had come off the bench for nine games already this season, so the move was surprising, but not totally out of the blue.
Jason Kidd benched Giannis Antetokounmpo, then refused to explain why
Antetokounmpo didn’t see the court for the first time this season despite being healthy.
Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
What was completely unexpected was for him to not see the court at all in the loss.
“He didn’t tell me,” Antetokounmpo told reporters after the game about Kidd’s decision not to play him. “No, he didn’t tell me.”
Kidd, for his part, refused to explain why he benched the Greek Freak. “Coach’s decision. It was a coach’s decision. I don’t know what, you guys can’t hear? ...You guys are smart. How about the game?”
Antetokounmpo is not hurt and he had been playing well before Wednesday, averaging almost 12 points and four rebounds in the past five games. This suggests Kidd's decision was not based on his on-court performance. There haven't been any reports about friction between the two in the past, but something must have happened to justify the move. Whether this was a one-game thing or a trend will be determined when the Bucks face the New York Knicks on Friday.
Milwaukee has exceeded expectations and is one of the feel-good stories of the season, currently occupying sixth place in the East’s standings. It would be a shame for this surprisingly good year to be tainted by a conflict between the up-and-coming star and his coach.
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