NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS: HAWKS VS. BUCKS

June 27, 2021

Bobby Portis

Milwaukee Bucks

Game 3: Postgame

Milwaukee Bucks 113, Atlanta Hawks 102

Q. So what is that [Khris Middleton’s performance] like to watch considering the stakes versus when you saw him maybe get hot like that before?

BOBBY PORTIS: I see it every day, bro, I see it every day. He's a load, man, one-on-one, he's tough. He gets to his spot. Makes his shots. Puts in his time. I see him every day. He does the same thing every day. I've been watching Khris, Giannis and Jrue every day. They are big with doing the same things, doing their routine and getting their reps in and it shows on the court. He's a confident basketball player and he takes those shots and he makes them. Sometimes they miss, but it's still a good shot because we all have the utmost confident in him.

Q. The fact that he is not overwhelmingly athletic --

BOBBY PORTIS: To me, you first come into the league and do all these tests, verticals and sprints and things like that, but you can't test what's inside somebody. That's the one thing you can't test in the league. You can't test somebody's heart. You can't test how much time they put into the game and all that.

You know, he's a big-time hard worker. Hard work always pays off at the end of the day, when you dedicate yourself and sacrifice. I see it every day. He doesn't go out. Doesn't do anything. He's all basketball and he's all-in. That's one thing that you can't test when guys come into the league is if they are going to put the time in and if they are going to dedicate themselves to this game.

Q. I know you're someone that really likes the art of basketball, what do you appreciate about his footwork?

BOBBY PORTIS: It's crazy, he can get to his spot and knock it down, doesn't matter if the guy is over him or not. He's just locked in on his shot and he makes tough shots. He's a tough shot maker. But he's made tough shots all year and even in these playoffs, he's hit some big shots for us to propel us to wins. We need that from him and continuing on our path to try to win this championship.

Q. What were you thinking about getting that post up?

BOBBY PORTIS: That's just me, I'm a thirsty basketball player. I like to score the basketball. That's just me, man. I feel like if I have a matchup, I run to the rim, steal, go up. They didn't do a good job of getting back tonight. We watched film the last couple days and they have done the same thing. Just try to run to the rim, sit in the paint and just go up with the basketball. And we've been doing that and practicing that all year, and it worked out tonight.

Q. I don't mean right now in the moment, because obviously everything is very excited, but all year, what's it been like to be a Milwaukee Buck compared to some other clubs?

BOBBY PORTIS: It's way different. With me, I appreciate it, the journey. You first come into the league, obviously when you get drafted to a team, you love that team to death. Like I love the Bulls, like that's a lifelong dream of mine. I was in Arkansas for 20 years of my life and then my first big city, first city I lived in besides Arkansas was Chicago. I loved it.

But the one thing that you can't really compare is championship aspirations, man. When you're on a tanking team or losing team, you create bad habits and you do things the wrong way and sometimes the coach let's you slide on things because you're just playing to play.

When I came here, everything matters. Like the low man matters. Help the helper, everything. Everything. Coach is on me about everything. It makes you lock in more and it makes you appreciate day-by-day that much better. And just how hard the guys work and how locked in they are, make me lock in even more, too, because when I step out there, I don't want to let my teammates down knowing that I wasn't ready. I go out there and just try to give my all for these guys.

Q. You mentioned Khris, that he doesn't go out, he just shows up and plays. Seems like a pretty low-drama organization, pretty quiet.

BOBBY PORTIS: Because it's a smaller city. I've played in bigger markets. I played in Chicago, man. When you play in the big market teams, you get all the -- you know, they want the big star, the big-time names and things like that.

Here, it's not about that. Like, we’re just locked in with one another. We all are one on the court. We all get along with each other. We all hang out with each other and we all know each other's family life. It's a big time family-oriented organization. I'm happy to be here and be a part of it. It just makes me come in and makes my job easier to do.

When I come in, I know every day I can talk to him about more than just basketball, I can talk to him about real-life situations and that makes the game that much better for me.

Q. What does it mean for you to be embraced and be your full self and not hold anything back?

BOBBY PORTIS: It feels good, man, but at the same time, we still have a job to do. But to answer your question, man, it just makes my job that much easier knowing that I can just be myself every day and knowing that I don't have to sugarcoat everything or just tone it down a little bit. They want me to be me. Having guys and having teammates and coaches that believe in me and trust in me to go out and be myself every day makes it that more fun to go out and play the game and play with passion.

I work entirely hard. I was off ten months. I sacrificed a lot over those ten months. I'm just happy the hard work is paying off and the sacrifice is, too.

Q. Do you feel like your toughness rubbed off?

BOBBY PORTIS: I just try to bring energy every day, that’s one thing about me. They call me BP. I'm like the gas. You go to the gas station, I'm always going to have some energy and gas for you, man. That's what I do, I just go out there, play my role and be myself every day and just try to bring some juice off the bench, man. I know my role. I play my role to the best of my abilities. Whether I make shots or not, I'm still going to play hard and give it my all and that's all you can really ask of a player in this league is go out there, do his assignment and play hard in his role.

Q. You talk a lot about working hard. What are some of the small differences that separate someone who is a really hard worker from someone who shows up and still works?

BOBBY PORTIS: Can you ask your question again one more time?

Q. You have to work hard to get to the league, but what are the differences of hard work and then the things that Giannis and Khris put in that separates themselves?

BOBBY PORTIS: Just the sacrifice, man. I've been on teams where some of the best players might go out or might do things out of the ordinary. Obviously it COVID protocols, but those guys really sacrificed, man. They dedicate themselves to this game. They do all the extra things. They take care of their bodies. They get on the table every day and get stretched and get in the cold tub. They do all the things necessary for them to play at a high level.

Being with that and being around that just makes me do the same thing. I just try to follow their path, follow their lead so I can be the best I can be in my position in my role. I think what separates guys at this level, at their level that they are at, their All-Star level and superstar level that they are at is just their sacrifice. Some guys are great guys and they are talented, but they don't sacrifice to be and to get the full potential out of themselves.

I think those guys put the time in, too, but the sacrifice is the biggest thing in life. When you want to be the best you can be, you have to sacrifice on some of the things you want to do. Maybe it's going out. Maybe it's family time, whatever it is. The guys are super locked in trying to win a championship. I think when Jeff Teague and P.J. first came here, they were like, "Damn, nobody told me nothing about this. Like nobody said anything, y'all watch film every day." They were joking around, everybody really locked in. It's been fun being on this journey this year.