Listing Giannis Antetokounmpo's Top 3 games in the NBA Playoffs based on field goals made
Giannis Antetokounmpo's run with the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2021 NBA Playoffs proved his doubters wrong and, most importantly, delivered the second NBA title for the franchise and the first since 1971.
Antetokounmpo's postseason performances had been heavily criticized by many in the media. who did not always care to mention whether his teammates helped him or not. Still, the Greek superstar played incredibly well in last year's NBA Playoffs and showed that he could certainly perform in the biggest moments.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's Top 3 games in the NBA Playoffs based on field goals made
NBA.com currently has Antetounmpo atop the MVP ladder amongst the potential candidates, while oddsmakers have him among the clear favorites to win the award too. Giannis is averaging his customary 28.4 points, 11.4 rebounds, and six assists (career-high) per game while making 54.1% of his shots and 70% of his free throws.
Giannis Antetokounmpo proved to be the NBA's most dominant player last season, and he will certainly look to establish said dominance in the NBA Playoffs again. In this article, we take a look at Antetokounmpo's Top 3 NBA Playoffs' games in terms of field goals made.
Note: If Giannis Antetokounmpo had multiple games with the same number of field goals, it will be mentioned, but the game highlighted will be the one in which he scored more points.
#3 15 field goals | 2021 NBA Finals, Game 2
The 2021 NBA Finals started with doubts regarding Giannis Antetokounmpo's status for the series, as he had previously injured his left knee in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Atlanta Hawks.
However, the Greek superstar started Game 1 of the series and put up 20 points and 17 rebounds in 35 minutes. Down 1-0 in the series, the Bucks needed to bounce back in Game 2, but Giannis Antetokounmpo's 42-point effort on 15/22 shooting wasn't enough for the Bucks..
He's had two other outings with at least 15 field goals made in his playoff career, one against the Boston Celtics in the 2019 NBA Playoffs, and the other one against the Brooklyn Nets in Game 7 of last year's second round.
#2 16 field goals | 2021 NBA Playoffs, Second Round | Game 1
The 2021 NBA Playoffs featured some brilliant series. Perhaps the most impressive battle of the entire postseason came in the second round, when the Eastern Conference's elite teams, the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks, fought for seven games for a place in the ECF.
Ultimately, the series came down to a Game 7 in Brooklyn, with Antetokounmpo's 40-point, 13-rebounds outing giving Milwaukee the road win. However, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks were down 2-0 early in the series, despite Giannis having a 16-fied-goal effort in Game 1, which gave him 34 points in an eight-point loss.
He made 16 of his 24 shots that night and proved that the Brooklyn Nets' defense had a lot to overcome if he played at the level he is capable of.
#1 16 field goals | 2021 NBA Finals, Game 6
The 2021 NBA Finals will always be remembered for Giannis Antetokounmpo's dominance on both ends of the floor, his ability to guard small and big players, and his 50-point outing to seal the series in Game 6 and earn his first ring and first NBA Finals MVP award.
During his 50-point, 14-rebounds outing in Game 6 against the Phoenix Suns, Antetokounmpo recorded five blocks, while making 16 of his 25 field goals and being stunningly good from the free-throw line, making 17 of his 19 attempts.
Antetokounmpo's 50-point game in a title-winning game equalled Bob Pettit's effort in Game 6 of the 1958 NBA Finals for the most points scored in a title-clinching game. Back then, the St. Louis Hawks defeated Bill Russell's Boston Celtics to win the title.