NEW YORK -- Following the Milwaukee Bucks' disappointing 116-94 loss to the New York Knicks on Friday night at Madison Square Garden, Giannis Antetokounmpo spoke passionately about his team's need to compete for about six minutes after the game.

Whatever he was asked by a small group of reporters, including questions from the Journal Sentinel, the theme of his answers returned to competition and focus.

As the Journal Sentinel chronicled after the game, this included the gathered media:

It was the theme of his roughly six-minute postgame media session, which included taking to task a member of the New York media for sighing during one of his answers – suggesting perhaps he should leave if he didn’t want to be there.

The clip of that interaction, however, gained traction over night and into Saturday as it was reaction to an inaudible sound to a person off-camera -- leading many to incorrectly assume it was directed at a teammate. Antetokounmpo was the only active Bucks player left in the locker room when he conducted his interview.

About 30 seconds into an answer about the team's offense that night, Antetokounmpo paused to tell the New York media member, "hey man, if you don't want to be here you can leave. If you don't want to be here, you can leave. I'm being honest with you."

Antetokounmpo then continued his answer about ball movement and how the team's good intentions didn't translate to production with the effort involved.

The Bucks look to get things corrected Sunday afternoon when they host the defending champion Boston Celtics at Fiserv Forum at 2:30 p.m.

More: Injury report for the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2024-25 NBA season

This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Giannis' comment Friday: 'If you don’t want to be here, you can leave'