ICYMI: Giannis Antetokounmpo does his best Michael Jordan from 'Space Jam' impression as he reaches for unbelievably athletic layup
NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo did his best Michael Jordan from 'Space Jam' impression during the Chicago Bulls-Milwaukee Bucks Game 1 matchup on Sunday.
Antetokounmpo showed off his unreal reach to make a tough layup. He took his first step at the free throw line, but Patrick Williams closed him out well, forcing the Bucks star to go away from the basket.
However, that wasn't enough to stop the two-time MVP from completing the layup, as he used his unbelievable reach to go left and lay the ball in anyway.
Here's a clip of the play (via NBA on ESPN):
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the finest when it comes to getting to the rim. His long reach and strength allows him to score most of his points in the paint. He also bags plenty of shooting fouls because of his driving ability, which bolsters his scoring and eventually helps his team win games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo bags crucial double-double to lead Milwaukee Bucks to close Game 1 win against Bulls
The defending champions Milwaukee Bucks started their title defense with a close 93-86 win over the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of their 2022 NBA Playoffs first round. Giannis Antetokounmpo proved to be the difference-maker once again, as he registered 27 points, 16 rebounds and two blocks on the night. He shot ten of 19 from the floor.
Giannisā¦Unstoppable. š„
https://t.co/xAmhcZX4wl
The Bucks trailed by a point with only 5:56 left on the game clock, but a series of clutch plays down the stretch from Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez sealed the win. Milwaukee managed to protect their homecourt by a close margin in Game 1, and they will be hoping to take care of it in their next match as well.
The Milwaukee Bucks need to play more disciplined, though, as they almost blew a 16-point lead against the Bulls. Chicago doesn't have a great regular-season record against the top six teams from both conferences, but they have the tools to achieve success in the playoffs.
Much will depend on Antetokounmpo and his co-stars Holiday and Khris Middleton. The latter duo need to be more consistent, especially offensively, to help the Bucks avoid any major slip-ups moving forward.
It will be interesting to see if Chicago can achieve an unlikely result in the next game before heading home for Games 3 and 4. If they manage to level the series, this matchup could end up being played across seven games.