Milwaukee Bucks Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo had a game for the ages Thursday night on the road against the Philadelphia 76ers. He finished with 35 points, 17 rebounds, a career-high 20 assists, 2 steals, and a made three-pointer. He is the first player in league history to have those figures in an NBA game.
Antetokounmpo joined an exclusive list of active NBA players with a 30-15-15 game. He joined Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Russell Westbrook, and James Harden as the only current players to have such a game. Even though Antetokounmpo will not win the NBA MVP this season, he is putting together another MVP-caliber campaign. He is second in the league in points, sixth in rebounds, and sixth in field goal percentage. Will he be able to carry a depleted Milwaukee Bucks team in the NBA Playoffs?
Milwaukee Bucks Season Summary
The Bucks are the No. 5 seed in the Eastern Conference with a 42-34 record. It will be an uphill battle for the team to make a deep playoff run. Point Guard Damian Lillard will be sidelined indefinitely with a blood clot in his calf. His availability will determine if a championship is in Milwaukee’s future.
Milwaukee’s offense, led by Antetokounmpo, has been strong. They are 13th in points scored, fifth in field goal percentage, and the league leader in three-point percentage. The team’s defense has also been stellar. They are 13th in points allowed, sixth in opposing field goal percentage, and eighth in opposing three-point percentage. Antetokounmpo is 10th in the league in defensive rating. With no timetable for Lillard to return, Antetokounmpo will need to be tremendous on both ends of the floor in the postseason.
Final Thoughts
Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks return to the court Saturday night on the road against the Miami Heat. The “Greek Freak” must be a his best for Milwaukee to reach its full potential. While it will be tough for him and the team, Antetokounmpo is one of the best players in league history.
