Is Giannis Antetokounmpo playing against the Houston Rockets? Latest update on the 2 x All-Star's availabilty
Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a powerhouse for the Milwaukee Bucks this season. He has been developing good chemistry with Damian Lillard to lay the foundation for the team's offense going forward. The 'Greek Freak' received some much-needed downtime after playing just 26 minutes for 22 points in their blowout 146-114 win over the struggling Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
As for his availability, Antetokounmpo will be available for the team's next contest against the Houston Rockets at the Fiserv Forum (Dec. 17). He has played all of the Bucks' 24 games this season. According to ESPN's updated report, the 29-year-old is not featured on the team's injury report. Unless the team's think-tank decides to rest the player for the matchup, Giannis Antetokounmpo will be part of the Sunday clash against Houston.
What happened to Giannis Antetokounmpo?
In what comes as good news for Milwaukee Bucks fans, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been a picture of health this season. The forward has played all games this season as they look to cement a solid platform for the second half of the ongoing season. Under him and Lillard, the Bucks are placed second in the East with an 18-7 record.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's stats vs Houston Rockets
Giannis Antetokounmpo has fared well for the Rockets in his career averaging 23.3 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in 19 games against the Western Conference outfit. On the regular season front, he is propping up 31.6 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists in 24 games. His last five matchups see him average 38.0 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 5.4 assists.
His stellar form this season also included a 64-point explosion against the Indiana Pacers in a rather drama-filled matchup earlier this week. The scoring feat was a franchise record and he also set records in free throws (24) and field goal attempts. Antetokounmpo also dished out 26 of his 64 points in the fourth stretch.
'The game ball incident' as it's being dubbed, will be a talking point for the rest of the season. The performance also helps him climb in the NBA's weekly MVP rankings. He valued from the fifth position to third behind leaders Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic to make his case for his second MVP award.