“There’s nobody that’s going to stop him” - Jay Williams crowns Giannis Antetokounmpo as the best player in the league, says the NBA "is his"
Giannis Antetokounmpo made his case as the NBA's best player as he carried the Milwaukee Bucks to a 120-119 overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets.
The Greek Freak scored 44 points, with 14 rebounds and six assists in the win Thursday night at Brooklyn (40-37). Antetokounmpo sent the game into overtime after making a clutch 3-pointer with 18 seconds remaining. He also sank two free throws with three seconds left in overtime to seal the game for the Bucks (48-28).
Giannis also went past Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the all-time leading scorer for the Milwaukee Bucks. He now has 14,216 points with the Bucks, over Abdul-Jabbar's 14,211.
A fitting locker room celebration. https://t.co/t0wY5AuPNG
Antetokounmpo is now tied with LeBron James with a league-leading 30.1 points per game this season. He is also the fifth-best rebounder in the league, averaging 11.7 per game.
The improvements Giannis has made to his game over the years, especially utilizing the jumper, have made him progressively deadlier on the court.
Jay Williams, on ESPN's "Keyshawn, JWill & Max," talked about Giannis' dominance:
"Giannis is the guy in the NBA. The NBA is his. I'm giving him the crown right now. ... There's nobody more dominant than this dude in the game, so dominance has to equate to the best in the game, right?
"There's nobody that's going to stop him. ... There's no game plan. You can't load up in the paint anymore. My man's shooting the ball from the outside with the confidence of Kevin Durant"
With six games to go in the season, the Milwaukee Bucks have clinched a playoff spot and meet the LA Clippers (37-40) on Saturday. They are a half-game behind the Eastern Conference-leading Miami Heat (49-28).
The Milwaukee Bucks are still the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference
As the Bucks brushed past the Nets on Thursday, Kevin Durant's missed shots reminded many of the Game 7 of the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. Either of Durant's attempts in regulation and overtime could have sealed the game for the Brooklyn Nets. In the deciding playoff game last season. Durant's foot on the 3-point line proved to be fatal for Brooklyn.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's 40-point barrage, with Jrue Holiday and Khris Middleton chipping in 19 and 16 points respectively, beat the Nets for the third and final time this season.
While teams like the 76ers, the Nets and the Celtics are packed with superstars, there seems to be absolutely no answer for Giannis when he gets going. Despite the ups and downs of the regular season, Giannis Antetokounmpo and company remain favorites to win the East.