Giannis Antetokounmpo Stats Tonight: How did 2x NBA MVP perform against Suns? (April 1)
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks entered Tuesday's game as losers of four straight. They welcomed the Phoenix Suns at Fiserv Forum in a rematch of the 2021 NBA Finals. It's also a reunion between coach Mike Budenholzer and the Bucks.
Antetokounmpo remains the only bright spot in Milwaukee over the past week, especially after Damian Lillard's blood clot issue took him out indefinitely. The Bucks are still poised to make the playoffs, but they need to quickly adjust to life without Lillard.
So how did "The Greek Freak" perform on April Fool's Day against the Suns? Antetokounmpo finished the game with 37 points, six rebounds, 11 assists and three steals. He went 12-for-18 from the field, made two 3-point shots and was 11-for-12 from the free-throw line.
Here are Giannis Antetokounmpo's stats for the game:
How did Giannis Antetokounmpo perform against the Suns?
Giannis Antetokounmpo was simply spectacular for the Milwaukee Bucks in their 133-123 win over the Phoenix Suns. Antetokounmpo looked like he was back in Game 6 of the 2021 NBA Finals, knocking down free throws and having his way against the hapless Suns' defense.
The two-time NBA MVP scored nine points in the first quarter, pacing the Bucks as they took a 31-19 lead. He added 11 points in the following period to finish with 20 points at halftime, but their advantage shrank as Devin Booker and the Suns made it 60-57.
In the third quarter, "The Greek Freak" added 10 more points to help Milwaukee rebuild its double-digit lead. He had seven points in the final period and dished out four more assists. He was a playmaker during the clutch, finding Brook Lopez and Ryan Rollins, who finished the job for the Bucks.
Brooklyn Nets eyeing Giannis Antetokounmpo if he becomes available
Giannis Antetokounmpo has not requested a trade, but there are rumors already speculating about the Milwaukee Bucks making him available this offseason. With the way the Bucks have fumbled the peak of "The Greek Freak," some teams are already eyeing him if he demands to get out of Wisconsin.
One of those teams is the Brooklyn Nets, which has a boatload of draft picks acquired from the Mikal Bridges, Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving trades over the past three seasons. The Nets could entice Antetokounmpo to play in a big market like Brooklyn, as per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
The Bucks' championship core has already been broken up, with Jrue Holiday in Boston helping the Celtics win a title last year. Khris Middleton is now in Washington, D.C., though Kyle Kuzma has not made any difference since his acquisition at the deadline.
If Antetokounmpo remains loyal to Milwaukee, the Nets could turn their attention to other stars such as LaMelo Ball, Ja Morant, Trae Young and Domantas Sabonis.