Getty Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.
He’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, you know who he is. While the recent comments from the Milwaukee Bucks star weren’t quite on the same level as Kevin Durant’s infamous quote in round one of the 2019 NBA Playoffs, they were still noteworthy.
Durant and the Golden State Warriors were facing the Los Angeles Clippers and Patrick Beverley had played impressive defense on the talented forward through the first two games. In turn, this led to Durant stating: “I’m Kevin Durant, you know who I am. Y’all know who I am.” as ESPN quoted.
After the Bucks fell to the Toronto Raptors in Game 3, a double-overtime loss, Antetokounmpo offered a warning of sorts. As The Athletic’s Eric Nehm quoted, it was essentially a message about responding after the loss, and it stood out in a big way.
“You know me,” Antetokounmpo said. “Usually when stuff like this happens, you know what’s coming.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Impressive Play After Losses
Although the Bucks have only faced a bounce-back spot after a loss one time during the 2019 NBA Playoffs, it resulted in the team ripping off a 21-point win over the Boston Celtics in round two. During that victory, Antetokounmpo scored a game-high 29 points on 7-of-15 shooting with nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block in 31 minutes.
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But for argument’s sake, here’s a look at how the Greek Freak has responded to losses in five spots down the final stretch of the 2018-19 regular season.
- vs. Hawks: 30 points (10-15 shooting), nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks
- at Nets: 28 points (9-23 shooting), 11 rebounds, two assists, one block, one steal
- vs. Heat: 27 points (12-19 shooting), eight rebounds, seven assists, two blocks
- at Pelicans: 24 points (7-13 shooting), nine rebounds, five assists
- vs. Pacers: 29 points (10-17 shooting), 12 rebounds, five assists
Most importantly, each of those games coming off a loss resulted in the Bucks picking up a victory. Over the span of the season, Milwaukee lost two games or more consecutively just one time. And those back-to-back losses were followed by Antetokounmpo’s performance against the Pacers above.
A team losing consecutive games once over the span of 82 games is almost unheard of, and it proves that what Antetokounmpo said above isn’t just a strong statement, it’s a fact. The Bucks know how to turn it around following losses, and now we’ll find out if they can do so against Toronto in Game 4 on the road.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Playoff Stats & MVP-Caliber Season
Antetokounmpo has a strong chance to take home the NBA’s Most Valuable Player Award this season, which isn’t surprising after evaluating his superb numbers. The Bucks star averaged 27.7 points on 57.8 percent shooting, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals over 72 regular-season games.
That success rolled right into the playoffs as well, with Antetokounmpo posting marks of 26.1 points, 13.0 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.9 blocks and 1.3 steals over the first 12 games. Even more important is the fact that Milwaukee has lost just two games to this point in the playoffs and look like a team capable of competing with the Warriors in the 2019 NBA Finals.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo Issues Kevin Durant-Esque Warning Before Game 4