Underappreciate Giannis Antetokounmpo at your own peril. (AP Photo/Chris Szagola)
(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Giannis Antetokounmpo is still doing things we’ve never seen on an NBA court.
The Milwaukee Bucks star became the first player in NBA history to post 35 points, 20 assists and 15 rebounds in a single game on Thursday, filling up the stat sheet against the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers.
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Specifically, he posted 35 points, 20 assists and 17 rebounds, while shooting 12-of-19 in a 126-113 win. The Sixers, who had none of their full-strength starters, simply didn’t know what to do about him.
The game saw the Bucks erase a 17-point Sixers lead. Antetokounmpo either scored or assisted on 32 of their 46 field goals.
It’s been five seasons since Antetokounmpo won his last NBA MVP award, but he’s still doing all-timer things on a nightly basis, with stats to match. He leads the NBA in both made field goals and free throws attempted per game, with numbers arguably better than either of his two MVP seasons.
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With co-star Damian Lillard still out indefinitely due to deep vein thrombosis, Antetkounmpo has been shouldering even more responsibilities than usual to keep the 42-34 Bucks competitive in the seeding race. They are currently tied with the Detroit Pistons for fifth place in the Eastern Conference.
