Giannis Says Winning Back-to-Back NBA MVP Awards Is 'Not Important at All'
Mar 3, 2020
MIAMI, FLORIDA - MARCH 02: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts against the Miami Heat during the first half at American Airlines Arena on March 02, 2020 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)
Milwaukee Bucks superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo downplayed the significance of defending his 2018-19 NBA Most Valuable Player Award during the final stages of the current campaign.
"It's not important at all," Antetokounmpo told reporters Monday.
He was then asked whether he cared about the award and replied, "I really don't."
Antetokounmpo is having another terrific season. He's averaging 29.6 points, 13.8 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.5 threes, 1.1 blocks and 1.0 steals per game across 55 appearances. He leads all NBA players in both player efficiency rating (31.92) and ESPN's real plus-minus (7.87).
So the battle for the league's top individual honor isn't something Giannis will need to focus on during the Bucks' final 21 games of the regular season. It would take a series of seismic events for one of those other stars to overtake him in such a short period of time.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB8bRr2WXgY
The main focus for Antetokounmpo and Co. is winning the franchise first championship since 1971.
"I think we have the best team in the NBA," Giannis told Marc Stein of the New York Times last month.
Milwaukee (52-9) is back in action Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers as it looks to take another step toward locking down home-court advantage throughout the playoffs. It holds a five-game advantage over James' Lakers (46-13) in that race.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Drops Historic 40-20-5 Game in Bucks' Win vs. Hornets
Mar 1, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, right, looks to drive against Charlotte Hornets forward P.J. Washington in the first half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, March 1, 2020. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)
Nobody tell James Harden, but Giannis Antetokounmpo's skill set is something to behold.
Antetokounmpo was historically brilliant during the Milwaukee Bucks' 93-85 victory over the Charlotte Hornets on Sunday. He finished with 41 points, 20 rebounds and six assists on 17-of-28 from the field, which is an incredible performance in a full game.
He did it in a mere 35 minutes.
According to Elias Sports Bureau (h/t ESPN), Antetokounmpo set the record for the fewest minutes played in a 40-20-5 game in league history. He beat the record previously held by Bob Pettit (1959) and Elgin Baylor (1960) by one minute.
Antetokounmpo is also just the third player in the last 30 years (DeMarcus Cousins and Chris Webber) to put up such a stat line and the first Bucks player to do so since Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in 1974.
The performance comes after Harden turned heads during an interview with ESPN's Rachel Nichols on Friday when he said of Giannis, "I wish I could be 7'0", run and just dunk. That takes no skill at all. I gotta actually learn how to play basketball and how to have skill. I'll take that any day."
The Bucks will take a 52-8 start to the season any day, as racking up 70 wins a la Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls and Stephen Curry's Golden State Warriors is within the realm of possibility if Antetokounmpo keeps playing like he did Sunday.
He is on his way to a second straight MVP and making history in the process.
Giannis Says Game 6 Loss vs. Raptors 'Obviously' on His Mind in Bucks Win
Feb 25, 2020
TORONTO, CANADA - FEBRUARY 25: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks shoots the ball against the Toronto Raptors on February 25, 2020 at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)
After the game, he told reporters that Game 6 of last year's Eastern Conference Finals, which Toronto won 100-94 over Milwaukee to advance to the NBA Finals, was on his mind as he led the Bucks to victory.
giannis on whether the game 6 loss here at scotiabank arena was on his mind tonight: “obviously.”
Antetokounmpo struggled offensively that night with 21 points on 7-of-18 shooting against the eventual NBA champions, but he led a dominant showing Tuesday to give the Bucks an NBA-best 50-8 record.
Milwaukee is in the driver's seat to avenge last year's postseason defeat and make the NBA Finals for the first time since 1974.
PerCaesars Palace, Milwaukee is a-220 (bet $220 to win $100) favorite to take the Eastern Conference. The Boston Celtics, Miami Heat and Raps are all second at +600.
That's largely because of Antetokounmpo, who is a near shoo-in to take home his second straight MVP.
However, the Bucks' rotation is arguably deeper than last year's with new additions such as center Robin Lopez and shooting guards Kyle Korver and Wesley Matthews all making contributions. Second-year pro Donte DiVincenzo has also improved significantly, averaging 9.1 points on 45.5 percent shooting.
Despite Tuesday's loss, the Raptors are still one of the primary contenders standing in the Bucks' path to an NBA Finals berth.
They don't have two-time NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard anymore, but a couple of All-Stars (Kyle Lowry and Pascal Siakam) lead a team that's top-eight in both offensive and defensive efficiency, perESPN.
Toronto is currently 42-16 and in second place by eight games behind the East-leading Bucks. The two teams will play each other in a home-and-home set on Wednesday, April 1 and Friday, April 3 to close out their regular-season series.
Giannis, Bucks Secure 2020 NBA Playoff Berth; Earliest Clinch in 15 Years
Feb 23, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo dunks during the first half of an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
NBA teams aren't supposed to clinch playoff spots in February.
Milwaukee clinched a spot in the postseason for the fourth straight year thanks to the Chicago Bulls' 126-117 victory over the Washington Wizards on Sunday. According to Elias Sports (h/t ESPN), the 48-8 Bucks are the earliest team to clinch a spot in the playoffs in at least 15 years with the playoffs still 55 days out.
If the Bucks continue at their current pace, they will join the 1995-96 Chicago Bulls and 2015-16 Golden State Warriors as the only teams in NBA history to win 70 or more games. The Bulls won the championship, but Golden State lost the NBA Finals that season to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Milwaukee is 6.5 games ahead of the second-seeded Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference, the same team it lost to in last season's Eastern Conference Finals.
A major difference this time around is the fact that Kawhi Leonard, who helped slow Giannis Antetokounmpo, is on the Los Angeles Clippers now. Toronto has still impressed and played at a much higher level than many expected, but the Bucks are the class of the league at this point.
Antetokounmpo is the primary reason and appears on his way to a second straight MVP behind per-game averages of 30.0 points, 13.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 55.2 percent from the field.
He is just 25 years old but is already a Bucks legend who could cement his position in franchise lore forever by leading the team to its first championship since 1971.
Giannis Praises Embiid After Bucks Beat 76ers: 'I Feel Like Joel Is a Great Guy'
Feb 23, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo reacts to his shot in front of Philadelphia 76ers' Joel Embiid during the first half of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Feb. 22, 2020, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
After a dominating performance just days after Joel Embiid declared himself the best player in the world, Giannis Antetokounmpo could have gloated.
Instead, the reigning NBA MVP chose not to add fuel to the fire and compliment the Philadelphia 76ers center.
"You want me to say something that's going to go viral and he's going to see it and there's going to be a battle, but at the end of the day, I feel like Joel is a great guy," Antetokounmpo said, per Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "Obviously, when I go on the court I'm going to go as hard as I can, but off the court I like him. I like his personality, he's a down-to-earth guy, we were good teammates at the All-Star Game."
Antetokounmpo, who has reached borderline consensus as the greatest player alive, had 31 points, 17 rebounds and eight assists in just 29 minutes to lead the Bucks to a 119-98 win over the Sixers on Saturday. Embiid was held to 17 points and 11 rebounds on 5-of-18 shooting in an ugly performance.
This article will be updated to provide more information soon.
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Giannis, Bucks Dominate Joel Embiid, 76ers After Ben Simmons Leaves with Injury
Feb 22, 2020
MILWAUKEE, WI - FEBRUARY 22: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks handles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers on February 22, 2020 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
Khris Middleton added 25 points for the 48-8 Bucks, who own the Eastern Conference's best record by seven games over the second-place Toronto Raptors.
Joel Embiid, Furkan Korkmaz and Shake Milton each scored 17 points for the 35-22 76ers, who played the majority of this game without point guard Ben Simmons.
The 76ers' floor general suffered an irritation of his lower back 4:44 into the game and did not return. Per the Philadelphia Inquirer'sKeith Pompey, the irritation occurred on a first-quarter layup.
Simmons sat his team's previous game against the Brooklyn Nets with lower back tightness.
The Bucks have won seven of eight. The 76ers' four-game winning streak ended.
There isn't a shortage of statistics to explain just how good the Bucks have been this year.
They've outscored their opponents by 12.4 points, or nearly six more points than their closest competitor in that stat, the Los Angeles Lakers.
They're one of three teams to lose fewer than 10 road games this season and will probably finish that way by virtue of a 22-5 record.
The Bucks are also a mind-boggling 42-5 in their past 47 games, good enough for an .894 winning percentage.
On Saturday, they cruised to victory courtesy of a third quarter in which they outscored the 76ers 37-23. Antetokounmpo scored seven points before the 76ers scored one and had 12 in the quarter.
Antetokounmpo also got help from his teammates, with Middleton hitting a baseline jumper and Wesley Matthews sticking a three after a slick dish from the presumed back-to-back NBA MVP:
The Bucks were also tough on the boards, so much so that 6'3" guard George Hill put home a tip-in on the offensive glass.
When the quarter was over, the Bucks were up 93-73 and well on their way to win No. 48.
Granted, the 76ers were without Simmons for all but five minutes, and the point guard has given the Bucks some serious trouble in the past. But Milwaukee still made this game largely uncompetitive before the third quarter was over, which has become commonplace.
More games like this are on the way for the Bucks as the regular season nears its end, but the real question is how the team will perform in the spring.
Last season ended with a disappointing Eastern Conference Finals loss to the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors despite Milwaukee's home-court advantage throughout the playoffs.
However, this year's team is deeper, Antetokounmpo is somehow better and the team's archnemesis (ex-Raptor Kawhi Leonard) is now a Los Angeles Clipper.
We'll see how the playoffs turn out, but expect more blowouts as the year winds down.
What's Next?
Both teams will play next on Monday at 7 p.m. ET.
The 76ers will host the Atlanta Hawks at Wells Fargo Center, and the Bucks will visit the Washington Wizards at Capital One Arena.
NBA Rumors: Giannis Antetokounmpo Expected to Sign New Bucks Contract in 2020
Feb 20, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) in action during an NBA basketball game in Paris, Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
Many within the NBA believe superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo will sign a contract extension with the Milwaukee Bucks before his current deal expires at the end of next season.
ESPN's Tim Bontemps spoke to multiple NBA executives and all of them said they expect Giannis to remain with the team that drafted him 15th overall in 2013.
The 25-year-old has made significant strides in each of his seven NBA seasons, and he is likely in line to win the NBA MVP award for the second consecutive year with averages of 30.0 points, 13.5 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game.
BR Video
Milwaukee owns the best record in the NBA this season at 46-8 after going an NBA-best 60-22 last season and reaching the Eastern Conference Finals. When the Bucks were eliminated by the eventual NBA champion Toronto Raptors, it led to some speculation regarding Giannis' future.
The Bucks are running through the rest of the NBA again this season, though, and they are favored to represent the Eastern Conference in the NBA Finals, which would mark their first Finals trip since 1974.
Milwaukee has a lot working in its favor when it comes to re-signing Giannis. First and foremost, it can pay him more than any other team under NBA rules.
Also, the Bucks took a chance on Giannis several years ago and cultivated his talent, they have a strong team poised to contend for many years, and they have a highly regarded head coach in Mike Budenholzer.
Leaving Milwaukee would likely give Giannis a better opportunity to team with a second superstar, but Antetokounmpo has a chance to show he can win as the unquestioned top dog with the Bucks.
Also, it isn't as if the Bucks have surrounded Giannis with a poor supporting cast, as Khris Middleton has been named an All-Star each of the past two seasons, Brook Lopez is a one-time All-Star and Eric Bledsoe has long been a borderline All-Star.
The Bucks have a strong mix on their roster, and with Giannis leading the way, there is no end in sight to their run atop the Eastern Conference.
Perhaps signing elsewhere could bring Giannis more notoriety and provide him with a bigger stage, but if he wants to make the most money possible and remain in a situation that could yield multiple championships, Milwaukee is the best fit.
Giannis' Agent: Superstar 'Absolutely' Could Stay with Bucks in 2021 Free Agency
Feb 14, 2020
ORLANDO, FL - FEBRUARY 8: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks during the game against the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center on February 8, 2020 in Orlando, Florida. The Bucks defeated the Magic 112 to 95. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Don Juan Moore/Getty Images)
Whenever an NBA megastar rises to prominence in a small market, the conversation turns to whether or not the franchise will be able to hang on to him long term. It happened with LeBron James in Cleveland, it happened with Kevin Durant in Oklahoma City, it happened with Kemba Walker in Charlotte, and it happened with Anthony Davis in New Orleans.
Now, the conversation turns to reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in Milwaukee. The small forward won't be a free agent until after the 2020-21 season, but there's already talk about what that decision could look like.
Antetokounmpo's agent, Alex Saratsis, isn't ruling out the player staying with the Bucks—but he also didn't make it sound like a foregone conclusion.
"Obviously everybody talks about his impending free agency, and I think everything is open," Saratsis told WTMJ-TV's Pete Zervakis. "I think he's someone who could easily say, 'I'd like to be in Milwaukee my entire career.' I think he's also someone who, depending on how the team does, could say, 'I need a change.' But for him, staying is absolutely a viable option."
Part of the reason why Saratsis is speaking in platitudes is because his client won't let him bring up free agency yet. Antetokounmpo, according to his agent, is more focused on winning a championship in Milwaukee than he is preparing for free agency.
Regardless, Saratsis confirmed the Bucks remain a special organization for Antetokounmpo.
"He came in as an 18-year-old kid who didn't speak the language," Saratsis said. "If you think about it, he grew up and is growing up to be a man in the city of Milwaukee. I think he's always going to appreciate that.
"Giannis believes in loyalty, he believes in the people who've been there with him from the beginning, and I think he feels that kinship to the city because they have really helped raise him."
Bucks' Mike Budenholzer on Giannis: 'I Think He's Even Going to Get Better'
Feb 11, 2020
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - MARCH 17: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks speaks with head coach Mike Budenholzer during a game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Fiserv Forum on March 17, 2019 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
Milwaukee Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said he's confident reigning NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo can achieve an even higher level of greatness.
Budenholzer told Joe Vardon of The Athletic the superstar forward's work ethic is crucial to the Bucks' success as they sit atop the NBA standings with a 46-7 record:
"To have your best player genuinely embrace getting better, I think it's huge for kind of who we want to be.
[...]
"There's a few things that are super important to us and he really checks all those boxes. I just think the teammate he is. I think his teammates love playing with him. There's incredible drive, but I think there's humility. He can laugh at himself. He's just a great, great teammate, player. We're excited. I think he's even going to get better as we go forward."
It's hard to imagine Antetokounmpo getting much better given his dominance over the past two years, but he still has peak years left at age 25, so it's impossible to rule out even better production.
The Greek Freak is averaging 30 points (second in NBA), 13.5 rebounds (fifth), 5.8 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.1 blocks while shooting 54.9 percent from the field in 48 games this season. He ranks first in player efficiency rating, per Basketball Reference, and second in ESPN'sReal Plus-Minus.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMUaXopznlA
If there's one area he can improve, it's three-point shooting. He's attempting a career-high 4.9 threes per game during the current campaign, but he's connecting on just 31.3 percent of those shots.
In September, he discussed his quest to become a more reliable outside shooter:
While it's still a work in progress, he's up 5.7 percentage points on threes from last season.
If he can eventually approach 40 percent from beyond the arc in addition to being right there with the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James when it comes to the most productive players when attacking the rim, it's going to create a complete nightmare for opposing defenses.
That said, he's already in the conversation as the toughest player to defend in the NBA, which is a major reason why the Bucks are running away in the race of the league's best record. They hold a 5.5-game lead over James' Lakers.
Antetokounmpo and Co. are back in action Wednesday night against the Indiana Pacers at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Announces Birth of Son Liam in Photo Posted on Twitter
Feb 10, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) in action during an NBA basketball game in Paris, Friday, Jan. 24, 2020. (AP Photo/Christophe Ena)
As a result, Antetokounmpo won't play Monday night when the Bucks take on the Sacramento Kings, per James Ham of NBC Sports Bay Area.
This comes after his girlfriend, Mariah Danae Riddlesprigger, revealed the couple was expecting a baby in October with the message "BABY FR34K COMING SOON" (h/t Eurohoops).
Turns out, Antetokounmpo didn't take his own winter-based advice when it came to the name:
Everyone that has a baby in Milwaukee ❄️❄️ today should name their baby John Snow 🙄 #SomeMuchSnow#KingInTheNorth ❄️❄️
It has been quite the stretch for Antetokounmpo, who won the league's MVP award last season, has led the Bucks to an NBA-best 45-7 record this season and is now a father.
