NBA MVP 2020: Analyzing Why Giannis Holds Edge over LeBron James for Award
Aug 14, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) scores a basket in front of Miami Heat guard Duncan Robinson (55) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Aug. 6, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kim Klement/Pool Photo via AP)
This season, LeBron James has averaged 25.5 points, 7.9 rebounds and a league-leading 10.3 assists while leading the 52-19 Los Angeles Lakers to a No. 1 seed in a stacked Western Conference. But he's not the MVP. Giannis Antetokounmpo is.
Antetokounmpo's Bucks are 56-17 and the No. 1 seed in the East. He's averaged 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists, all while shooting 55.3 percent from the field and playing just 30.4 minutes per game—4.5 fewer than James.
And he's the front-runner for Defensive Player of the Year as well, bolstered not by his averages of one steal and one block per game but instead by the fact that, all season, a near-7-footer has been a disruption across every defensive floorboard and put the clamps on every single position.
When James is on the bench, Los Angeles is outscored by 1.3 points per 100 possessions. When Antetokounmpo sits down, Milwaukee outscores its opponents by 1.5 points per 100 possessions. But while the Lakers outscore opponents by 9.0 points per 100 possessions when James is on the court, the Bucks dominate by 15.9 when Giannis is.
The 25-year-old Greek superstar may have shouldered less of a burden than James has had to this season, but his statistical impact is undeniable, and his dominance over the regular season is visible to anyone who has watched him fiercely guard his own basket before treating an opponent's hoop like his own personal plaything.
The third notable MVP candidate is James Harden, who has averaged a league-leading 34.4 points, 6.6 rebounds and 7.5 assists—all exceptional numbers. But while his Houston Rockets are outscored by a hefty 2.1 points per 100 possessions when he's resting, they outscore their foes by a moderate 5.6 when he's playing.
At 44-27, Houston is the No. 5 seed in the West and Harden is one of the scariest players to face in the playoffs. But his team is not exceptionally dominant when he's on the court, and not all of that can be attributed to lesser talent than Milwaukee and Los Angeles.
Harden has a much lower defensive impact than James or Antetokounmpo and doesn't kick his team into quite as deadly a gear, so he's outside of the top two running mates for MVP. James has a lower defensive impact than Antetokounmpo and doesn't kick his team into quite as deadly a gear.
Giannis should take home MVP and maybe even DPOY. But that's all right. It will make for a better storyline if LeBron is able to prevent such a decorated superstar from coming away with the most important hardware: the Larry O'Brien Trophy.
It's been a weird year in the NBA. Or, actually, it still is a weird year. See? We don't even know what tense to use in the wake of a four-month pandemic-induced hiatus, a bubble ...
NBA Playoff Schedule 2020: Dates, Matchups, Game Times and TV Coverage Info
Aug 13, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) dunks against the Dallas Mavericks during overtime of an NBA basketball game Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
The NBA playoffs are set to begin in four days, and 15 of the field's 16 teams have been decided.
The final spot will go to either the Memphis Grizzlies, Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns, who will take part in a play-in tournament to decide the eighth and final Western Conference seed. Memphis will play Portland if the Trail Blazers defeat the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday or Phoenix if the Trail Blazers lose.
The victor of the play-in tournament will face off against four-time NBA MVP LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers, who own the Western Conference's No. 1 seed.
Reigning NBA MVP (and likely back-to-back MVP) Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks lead the East. They are one spot ahead of the defending NBA champion Toronto Raptors, who finished with the second seed despite losing leading scorer and reigning NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard to the Los Angeles Clippers in free agency.
Speaking of Leonard's Clips, they sit second in the West and could set up a Los Angeles battle for the right to move onto the NBA Finals.
At this point, that's far off, however. A play-in tournament and a couple of postseason rounds must take place beforehand.
Here's a look at what we know about the NBA playoff schedule thus far, alongside quick previews and picks for the league's top team by win-loss record in the Bucks and the defending champs in the Raps.
NBA Playoff Schedule Dates
Aug. 15: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Phoenix Suns or Portland Trail Blazers, 2:30 p.m. ET on ABC
Aug. 16: Memphis Grizzlies vs. Phoenix Suns orPortland Trail Blazers, 4:30 p.m. ET on ESPN (if necessary)
Aug. 17: First round start
Aug. 31: Conference semifinals targeted start date
Sept. 15: Conference finals targeted start date
Sept. 30: NBA Finals targeted start date
Oct. 13: Game 7 of the NBA Finals (if necessary)
Eastern Conference Matchups
1. Milwaukee Bucks vs. 8. Orlando Magic
2. Toronto Raptors vs. 7. Brooklyn Nets
3. Boston Celtics vs. 6. Philadelphia 76ers
4 or 5. Miami Heat vs.4 or 5. Indiana Pacers
Western Conference Matchups
1. Los Angeles Lakers vs. 8. Portland Trail Blazers/Phoenix Suns/Memphis Grizzlies
2. Los Angeles Clippers vs. 7. Dallas Mavericks
3. Denver Nuggets vs. 6. Utah Jazz
4 or 5. Houston Rockets vs. 4 or 5. Oklahoma City Thunder
First Round Schedule
Quadrupleheaders will be held Monday and Tuesday, with games taking place at 1:30 p.m., 4 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m ET.
ESPN will televise the Monday games, and TNT will do the same Tuesday.
ESPN, TNT, ABC and NBATV will televise the postseason. ESPN will handle the Eastern Conference Finals, and TNT will do the same for the Western Conference Finals. ABC will broadcast the NBA Finals.
Picks for Top Contenders in East
1. Milwaukee Bucks vs. 8. Orlando Magic
The Milwaukee Bucks were once 52-8 but will come into the playoffs limping with a 56-17 record.
Is it cause for concern down the line? It might be as other Eastern Conference teams have played far better leading into the postseason.
But it should not be an issue against the Orlando Magic, who made the playoffs despite being eight games below .500.
All-Star big man Nikola Vucevic should win the battle down low with Bucks big man Brook Lopez, and guards Evan Fournier and Terence Ross can get hot from three-point range and help the Magic offense keep pace.
But no one on the Magic (or the league) has an answer for arguably the game's greatest talent in Antetokounmpo, who is a nightmare matchup. The same goes for Lopez, who may not be as skilled as Vucevic but can hit deep three-pointers and block shots in droves.
Add in All-Star wing Khris Middleton and a group of tough guards who excel on defense, including Eric Bledsoe and Donte DiVincenzo, and you have a team that shouldn't have much of an issue in Round 1.
Orlando's X-factor to change that narrative is Aaron Gordon, who needs to step up as the team's secondary scorer behind Vucevic. At his best, Gordon can pour in points, grab a ton of boards and fly up and down the court for opponent-deflating dunks. If that Gordon appears in the playoffs, then the Magic might have the chance to steal a game or two, especially given that there's no true home-court advantage in Disney World.
The guess here is that Orlando will be good enough to win one game against a lethargic Bucks team, much like the Magic won one contest versus the eventual champion Raps in their first-round series last year. But Giannis and the Bucks are simply too strong and should win the series by no more than five games.
Pick: Bucks in 5
2. Toronto Raptors vs. Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Nets are5-2 at the NBA campus despite missing a host of talent including leading scorer Kyrie Irving, second-leading scorer Spencer Dinwiddie, big man DeAndre Jordan and others. The Nets remade their roster for the bubble, and led by interim coach Jacque Vaughn, everything came together as Brooklyn beat some top teams, including the Bucks and Clippers.
The guess here is that it's not a fluke.
The Nets beat the Lakers on the road in their last game before the league was suspended for over four months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Sure, that team had Dinwiddie, Jordan and others who didn't make it to Florida, but this team clearly plays hard for Vaughn, who is getting everything out of his roster as it excels in the face of insurmountable odds.
The issue the Nets have is that they might be facing the league's best team in the Raptors, who are well-rounded, deep, battle-tested and skilled.
They simply have no weakness, and they are strong on both ends. They do run a tight rotation, but players on the back end of the bench have starred at times, like when Chris Boucher dropped a casual 25-point, 11-rebound stat line versus the Bucks in the bubble.
Toronto should take the series, but it won't be easy. Look for the Nets to take a pair of games and make this one interesting. In the end, it will be impossible for the Nets to do anything but make Vaughn their full-time coach.
Pick: Raptors in 6
Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo Suspended 1 Game for Head-Butting Moe Wagner
Aug 12, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo looks to move the ball against the Houston Rockets during an NBA basketball game Sunday, Aug. 2, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo via AP)
He will miss Thursday's final seeding game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Milwaukee has already clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
The incident came in the second quarter of Tuesday's game against the Wizards, following an offensive foul called against Antetokounmpo. After some back-and-forth chatter, the Bucks forward head-butted his opponent:
Antetokounmpo was given a flagrant-2 foul and was ejected from the game.
It was only the third time the 25-year-old has been ejected in his career, while he also only has six flagrant fouls in seven years in the NBA.
Giannis apologized for the incident after the game, via Eric Nehm of The Athletic:
"Terrible action. If I could go back and turn back time and go back to that play, I wouldn't do it. But at the end of the day, we're all human, we all make mistakes. I think I've done a great job all year, in my career, of keeping my composure and focusing on the game, but like I said, we're human, we make mistakes. But at the end of the day, learn from it, keep playing good basketball and keep moving forward."
He also noted his anger wasn't with Wagner but a "buildup of dirty plays in my mind."
It was the second time in the Orlando bubble that Antetokounmpo seemingly lost his cool, also having an altercation with Brooklyn Nets forward Donta Hall:
On that occasion, he was separated before he did any damage.
There is no denying Antetokounmpo's impact on the court, entering the day averaging 29.5 points, 13.6 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game. He is the reigning MVP of the league and is a favorite to bring home the award for a second straight year.
The Bucks have plenty of depth to survive without the superstar, led by Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe. Brook Lopez has also had big games in Orlando while more than 10 players can contribute on a given night.
Being the most efficient defense in the NBA should also help the team compete without its top scorer.
Milwaukee is still fortunate not to lose one of the best players in the league for any playoff games as it tries to bring home a championship.
Every year, even a generous application of the contender label leads to only a handful of NBA teams. For all the changes in this...um, unique season, that part of the conversation stays the same...
Bucks' Giannis: Head-Butting Wizards' Moe Wagner Due to 'Buildup of Dirty Plays'
Aug 12, 2020
Washington Wizards' Moritz Wagner (21) and Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) look towards referee Brian Forte (45) for a call during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)
"I think it was just a whole buildup of dirty plays in my mind, guys tripping me, guys falling in front of my feet, holding me, hitting me," Antetokounmpo told reporters (around one-minute mark). "I have nothing against Wagner, it wasn't just him."
Milwaukee won the game 126-113 but only after its MVP candidate was ejected for head-butting Wagner in the second quarter. Wagner drew a charge, and Antetokounmpo head-butted him while the Bucks challenged the call.
Giannis also expressed regret for his actions and said he wished he didn't do it.
"This is nothing new," Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer said, per the Associated Press (h/t ESPN). "Giannis has been dealing with this for a long time. He is the MVP. He normally is phenomenal and today was a slip-up. In some ways it could be one of the best things that happened today as a learning moment. We will all remember that we have to keep our cool—players and coaches."
Antetokounmpo finished with 12 points and nine rebounds in 10 minutes of action before the ejection.
It remains to be seen whether the NBA will punish the leading MVP candidate, but it could hold him out of Milwaukee's final seeding game Thursday against the Memphis Grizzlies.
That game doesn't mean anything to the Bucks, who are locked into the Eastern Conference's No. 1 seed, but it has massive implications for the Western Conference playoff race. The Grizzlies, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs are all tied for the No. 9 seed and a half-game behind the eighth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers.
There will be a play-in tournament between whichever two teams finish in the Nos. 8 and 9 spots for the final postseason position.
On paper, a matchup with the East-leading Bucks appeared daunting for the Grizzlies, but no Giannis would surely make things easier. Milwaukee may also rest or limit its other regulars as well with the playoffs approaching.
Video: Bucks' Giannis Ejected After Headbutting Wizards' Mo Wagner
Aug 11, 2020
Washington Wizards' Moritz Wagner (21) grabs his face after getting head butted by Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, rear, during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Tuesday, Aug. 11, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. Antetokounmpo was ejected from the game. (AP Photo/Ashley Landis, Pool)
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo channeled his inner John Starks on Tuesday night against the Washington Wizards, and not in a good way.
The reigning MVP was called for a charge after Mo Wagner got in his way in transition, and Antetokounmpo went after the Washington forward almost immediately after the whistle. As the two got into each other's faces, Antetokounmpo leaned his head in and made contact with Wagner, drawing a quick ejection barely four minutes into the second quarter.
It was a moment reminiscent of Starks' 1993 headbutting of Indiana Pacers star Reggie Miller, which became a focal point of the rivalry between the Pacers and New York Knicks, as detailed in the ESPN 30 for 30 documentary Winning Time: Reggie Miller vs. The New York Knicks.
Tuesday marked just the third time in his career Antetokounmpo had been ejected, according to Spotrac.com. The last incident came during a game against the Denver Nuggets in 2018.
Antetokounmpo exited Tuesday's contest with 12 points, nine rebounds and one assist in 10 minutes of playing time.
Pascal Siakam, Raptors Cruise to Easy Win vs. Giannis-Less Bucks
Aug 10, 2020
Toronto Raptors' Norman Powell, right, defends against Milwaukee Bucks' Eric Bledsoe during the third quarter of an NBA basketball game Monday, Aug. 10, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Mike Ehrmann/Pool Photo via AP)
To kick off the final week of NBA seeding games for both franchises, the Toronto Raptors defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 114-106 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.
The Bucks have already clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, while the Raptors are locked in to the No. 2 seed. As a result, Monday's encounter carried little in terms of tangible playoff ramifications.
A number of key players were absent. The Raptors used the opportunity to rest Kyle Lowry, Fred VanVleet and Serge Ibaka, while Giannis Antetokounmpo was out due to lingering effects from oral surgery.
Toronto was in control for much of the game until Milwaukee made a late charge.
An Eric Bledsoe layup made it a six-point game with 54 seconds left, and Stanley Johnson missed a pair of free throws. Johnson collected his own rebound after it was knocked out of the paint. Chris Boucher eventually cleaned up a miss by Johnson to give the Raptors an eight-point lead and end any comeback attempt.
Notable Stats
Norman Powell, SG, Raptors: 7-13 FG, 21 points, eight rebounds, one assist, two steals, three blocks
Pascal Siakam, PF, Raptors: 5-16 FG, 14 points, seven rebounds, two assists, two steals
Matt Thomas, SG, Raptors: 9-17 FG, 22 points, four rebounds, one assist
Chris Boucher, PF, Raptors: 9-15 FG, 25 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, two blocks
Khris Middleton, SF, Bucks: 6-12 FG, 17 points, four rebounds, three assists
Kyle Korver, SG, Bucks: 5-6 FG, 19 points, four rebounds, two assists, one steal
Supporting Cast Steps Up for Short-Handed Raptors
Not only were the Raptors without the services of three regular contributors, but Pascal Siakam also struggled to find his shot because of the added attention the Bucks could pay him on defense.
Neither proved to be much of a problem for Toronto thanks in large part to Norman Powell and a few unsung heroes.
No matter what happens tonight and in the postseason, the Milwaukee Bucks will always be the team that traded OG Anunoby and Norman Powell for Greivis Vasquez.
Matt Thomas stole the show after finishing with a season high in points. The rookie guard had the right touch in the first half as he poured in 15 points.
Biggest thing out of this game for the Raptors is Norm Powell knocking down all 3 of his 3-point attempts. Matt Thomas comes in and hits three more, too. I know the Raptors are sitting a bunch of guys, but still think Thomas’ shooting could be a factor in the playoffs.
Boucher was the third of the Raptors' three-pronged attack. Boucher was effective from beyond the arc, but none of his points came with more emphasis than this thunderous dunk in the fourth quarter.
The Raptors obviously no longer have Kawhi Leonard, the impact of which will likely be magnified in the playoffs. Nobody should overlook Toronto's supporting cast, though, and those reserves will be carrying a big chip on their shoulders to silence the doubters who question the team's ceiling with no Leonard on whom to lean.
Bucks Continue Going Backward Before Playoffs
Milwaukee was clearly much worse without Antetokounmpo on the floor. Still, it's somewhat concerning the Bucks have now dropped eight of their last 11 games dating back to before the NBA suspended the season.
In their last two outings, they gave up 73 first-half points to the injury-ravaged Brooklyn Nets and the same total to the Miami Heat, who didn't have Jimmy Butler. The trend continued for the most part Monday as Toronto dropped 67 points through the first two quarters.
Milwaukee came out flat and lacked Antetokounmpo to help turn the tide like the team did against Miami. Instead, the Bucks simply looked like a squad running in first gear.
At this point, the Bucks appear to be mentally ready for the postseason to arrive. Perhaps they'll be able to refocus when the games matter again, but nothing can really be taken for granted given the unique circumstances of the present moment.
What's Next?
The Bucks will return to the court Tuesday as they play the Washington Wizards at 9 p.m. ET. The Raptors face off with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.
Giannis Antetokounmpo out for Bucks vs. Raptors After Undergoing Oral Surgery
Aug 10, 2020
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 06: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks before the game against the Los Angeles Lakers at Staples Center on March 06, 2020 in Los Angeles, California. 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 Harry How/Getty Images)
Antetokounmpo was listed as out for Monday's game after previously being listed as probable "due to a toothache," per Matt Velazquez of the Journal Sentinel.
The reigning league MVP suffered a knee injury earlier this season but has been durable throughout his career. He appeared in at least 72 games in each of his first six seasons in the league and at least 80 in three of them.
When healthy, he is one of the best players in the league.
Antetokounmpo is a one-time MVP, three-time All-NBA selection, two-time All-Defensive selection and four-time All-Star who can take over a game as a matchup nightmare for opposing defenses with his ability to power his way into the lane as a versatile playmaker and who can play essentially every position.
He is the primary reason the Bucks had the best record in the league at 53-12 when the 2019-20 season was suspended because of the COVID-19 pandemic and are on the shortlist of realistic titles contenders in the NBA's campus-like environment in Orlando, Florida.
Milwaukee doesn't have anyone else on its roster capable of replicating what he does, although Khris Middleton, George Hill and Donte DiVincenzo can carry the offense at times.
Still, the Bucks almost surely need Giannis healthy if they are going to parlay their impressive regular season into a championship.
Giannis on Luka Doncic: 'One of the Most Talented Guys I've Ever Played Against'
Aug 9, 2020
Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic, right, passes against Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo, left, during an NBA basketball game Saturday, Aug. 8, 2020, in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. (Kevin C. Cox/Pool Photo via AP)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the reigning NBA MVP and the favorite to win the award again this year, but Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic looked like the best player in the world in Saturday's 136-132 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Doncic finished with 36 points, 19 assists and 14 rebounds in the overtime victory and had a few highlight-reel plays along the way:
It was enough to earn high praise from Antetokounmpo after the game.
"Talented, really talented. One of the most talented guys I've ever played against," the Bucks forward said, per Matt Eppers of USA Today. "He's making the whole team better, and he's going to keep getting better. As long as he's making his team better, they're going to be tough to beat."
The Mavericks (42-30) are currently just the No. 7 seed in the Western Conference, but they will be dangerous in the playoffs and especially scary in future seasons. After winning the Rookie of the Year Award last year, the 21-year-old Doncic is averaging 29.1 points, 9.5 rebounds and 8.9 assists per game in 2019-20.
Production like that will put him alongside Antetokounmpo in the MVP race for years to come.
