Carmelo Anthony thinks Doc Rivers wrong to say quiet part out loud about Giannis

Carmelo Anthony says it’s no secret Giannis is tough to play with, similar to Westbrook, but no reason for Doc Rivers to make those comments:

“That is Giannis’ game. It’s relentless. It’s going at you, it’s physical, it’s powerful. It’s not a shot at him to say it’s no finesse… pic.twitter.com/8XDWP2UT13

— Heat Central (@TheHeatCentral) November 12, 2026

Watch sports LIVE with fuboTV (free trial)

Anthony defended Giannis Antetokounmpo’s style of play, saying the lack of finesse that’s been mentioned isn’t a shot at him.

“That is Giannis’ game. It’s relentless. It’s going at you, it’s physical, it’s powerful. It’s not a shot at him to say it’s no finesse to his game.”

He said that as a former player he understands why players take the blame, and while Doc Rivers didn’t say anything wrong, he questioned why it needed to be said.

“As a former player, it’s easy for the player to get the blame. No player is going to win the player-coach argument. He [Doc] isn’t saying nothing wrong, but it’s like, ‘Why? What’s the point of saying that?’”

Anthony acknowledged that it’s hard to play alongside Antetokounmpo, but he said that’s what makes him who he is.

“Yes, it’s very difficult to be out there with Giannis. You have to be a certain type of player to be on the court with Giannis. That’s not a secret. Giannis is doing what he did when he won a championship. That’s why we love Giannis. Don’t knock him for why we love him.”

He compared the situation to Russell Westbrook, saying fans embrace a player’s style until it’s convenient to criticize it.

“It’s the same with Russell Westbrook. We love Russ the same way, then when it’s time to not love him, we used that as an excuse. It’s the same with Giannis.”

Related: Gary Trent Jr. investigation gets quick response from Taylor Jenkins

Related: Bucks rumors: Brian Windhorst warns of guilty verdict, stripped draft picks, suspensions in $64 million Gary Trent Jr. case