Giannis Antetokounmpo is expected to return to the floor shortly for the Milwaukee Bucks, but head coach Adrian Griffin wants his team to move on from their humiliating loss without the two-time MVP.

The Bucks lost their game against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, 135-95, without Antetokounmpo.

Before Sunday’s overtime victory over the Sacramento Kings, the superstar forward had appeared in all 29 of Milwaukee’s previous games while also being listed as injured. He scored 27 points, which is close to his seasonal average of 31.2 points per game.

Griffin gave the Bucks no excuses, even though facing the hot Cavaliers without Antetokounmpo was always going to be difficult.

In fact, he was especially appalled by the manner in which Cleveland was permitted to surge up 22-2 in less than half of the first quarter. Of those 22 points, 12 were scored by Donovan Mitchell, who finished the game with 31 points.

Collectively, it was a difficult evening, but Griffin stated, “We need to muster the enthusiasm right now, especially while we are short-handed.

“Especially in the beginning of the game, you have to learn from this and make sure it doesn’t happen again.

“We were down twenty before we looked up. We would essentially descend and fire away.”

The 28-13 Bucks suffered a crushing defeat to the 32-9 Boston Celtics, who defeated the San Antonio Spurs 117-98 to take the lead atop the Eastern Conference.

Victor Wembanyama, the first overall choice of the Spurs, scored 27 points in his debut game in Boston, but he was more taken aback by the Celtics.

“On that team, anybody can hoop,” the rookie Frenchman remarked. “On the court, everyone poses a threat.

“However, everyone of them—from the most crucial franchise players to the supporting cast members—know their positions and are eager to share the ball.

“Everybody is ready to compete and to make the sacrifices.”