Watch: Giannis Antetokounmpo lifts up Furkan Korkmaz mid-game while contesting for the ball vs Philadelphia 76ers
Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the strongest players in the NBA. He is known for his dominance in the paint and there are not many defenders in the league that can stop him when he decides to attack the rim.
The Greek Freak showcased another display of his strength in their game against the Philadelphia 76ers when he easily lifted up Furkan Korkmaz in a battle for possession of the ball.
Both players crashed the glass to grab the rebound and to Korkmaz's credit, he did well to get his hands on it but Antetokounmpo was not going to let go that easily.
Antetokounmpo also got his hands on the ball and lifted Korkmaz up in the air for a few seconds before the referees called for a jump ball.
It was a decisive play as it came late in the fourth quarter when the 76ers had a four-point lead over the Milwaukee Bucks.
If Giannis Antetokounmpo had cleanly grabbed the rebound and scored, the Bucks would have reduced the deficit to two points. Considering the contact between him and Korkmaz, there could have been a free throw as well for the Greek Freak.
The Bucks did win the jump ball and Khris Middleton had an easy way to the basket to make it a two-point game. However, he missed a few chances to give the Bucks the lead after that, and this allowed the 76ers to grab a 123-120 win on the night.
STATEMENT WIN.
🪙 @Cryptocom https://t.co/KZsrcWpic8
Who among Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo can win the MVP award this season?
Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo are two of the most dominant players in the game. Both can decimate opponents in the paint and over the years have worked on their mid-range shots. This year, the two are in the mix of MVP conversations and are leading their team's hopes of winning the championship.
Giannis Antetokounmpo vs Joel Embiid tonight. Duel of two MVP finalists.
Giannis: Embiid:
29.4 PPG 29.3 PPG
11.3 REB 11.1 REB
6.0 AST 4.5 AST
0.9 STL 1.0 STL
1.4 BLK 1.5 BLK
54.7 FG% 49.1 FG%
Let the fun rivalry continue…
https://t.co/yvDvNS5cOb
Joel Embiid has averaged 29.3 PPG and 11.1 RPG in 46 appearances. He is ranked third in the league in scoring and the player who is ranked first is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak is averaging 29.4 PPG, 11.3 RPG and 6.0 APG in 48 appearances. He is the only player alongside Nikola Jokic to average above 26/11/6 for the season. Despite Antetokounmpo's consistency, Embiid is being considered the favorite to win the MVP award as he has almost single-handedly carried the 76ers to playoff contention.
WHAT. A. BATTLE.
Joel Embiid 🤝 Giannis Antetokounmpo
#PhantomCam https://t.co/awTS0DURlh
Embiid's team is currently third in the East with a 35-23 record. They are just 2.5 games behind the top seed and with James Harden on their side, they can certainly get there. But Giannis Antetokounmpo isn't going to let the 76ers go that easily. The Bucks are the reigning NBA Champions and their performances this season have already proven that they can run things back.
Antetokounmpo has been exceptional on both ends of the floor and if everything works out well, they can definitely repeat as champions. As far as the race to win the MVP award is concerned, both Embiid and Antetokounmpo are front runners. However, only the remaining games will help determine who rightfully deserves the honor of getting the trophy.