Giannis delivers historic performance
With his point guard in a bucket drought and his wingman struggling to even put up a shot, with gobs of nervous turnovers from everyone on the court, Giannis Antetokounmpo did everything in his power to lift his team above the swells.
Just a little more than three weeks after suffering a scary hyperextended knee, and with his brother and close teammate Thanasis sitting out the game because of COVID-19 safety protocols, Antetokounmpo proved once and for all Tuesday night that he is superhuman.
Antetokounmpo dropped 50 points in a 105-98 victory over the Phoenix Suns in Game 6 of the NBA Finals and made history along the way.
Holding back emotions, he also accepted the NBA Finals MVP trophy. His 50 points were tied for the most all-time in a closeout game of the NBA Finals, per ESPN Stats and Information research, equaling Bob Pettit's 50 points for the St. Louis Hawks at home in Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals against the Boston Celtics.
The Bucks came back from a 0-2 deficit to beat the Suns in four straight games and claim this NBA championship, the franchise's first since 1971 and second ever.
It was only a few years ago that the Bucks could win only 15 games in a season and couldn't come close to selling out an arena.
And then Antetokounmpo changed the landscape.
But it would not be easy. It was evident immediately that both the Bucks and Suns, brought into the NBA together as expansion franchises in 1968 and going for their first titles in five decades (or ever), felt the nerves and the pressure of Game 6. The team that could pull itself together would win.
Antetokounmpo was the one. Isn't he always? If the house is on fire, he's going to save you, your dog and your irreplaceable family photos. In the first quarter, he had 10 points, while the entire Suns starting lineup finished with 11.
He's the reason the Bucks were tied 77-77 after three quarters. With 37 points and 10 boards, with 12 of 13 free throws in the first three quarters, Antetokounmpo threw the Bucks on his back and marched to the rim.
Antetokounmpo's thrilling thirdquarter scoring spree brought the Bucks back, throwing a life preserver to anyone who would take it. And that was be Bobby Portis who answered with jumpers and Jrue Holiday who was 2 for 14 but then finally connected with shots down the stretch.
And it was Khris Middleton who sank huge shots. And it was Pat Connaughton who drew a charge and grabbed massively important rebounds.
But playing with just one foul charged to him, Antetokounmpo could play as aggressively as he wanted.
Antetokounmpo did not get the night off on defense, either. Charged with defending the Suns' Deandre Ayton, he kept the center in check – 12 points and just six rebounds. But Antetokounmpo also flew over to help others on defense, like on a big block of Devin Booker late. And then he did it again.
In fact, there wasn't anything Antetokounmpo didn't do.
Steals.
Blocks. Antetokounmpo walked the court slowly when not in play. He conserved his energy when he could. He kept his poise. Never did he roll his eyes at a mishap or a mistake by anyone else, either.
But we have to talk about the free throws. He crushed those.
Shooting 17 of 19 from the free throw line, Antetokounmpo excised his own demons and devastated the Suns, whose only strategy defensively was to hack him, apparently.
As the clock wound down at the end of the game, Antetokounmpo paced around the court, allowing himself finally to feel the crowd, the appreciation for the moment.
This was for Greece. And the Greek fans who came out in Game 7 in Brooklyn.
This was for his late father, Charles, who brought him to tears on that summer day in 2019 when he accepted his first MVP trophy.
This was for all those hours at the Cousins Center, alone, working to make a dream realized.
This was for Milwaukee, which he chose to call home.