Giannis Antetokunmpo became the first player in NBA history to have 35 points, 17 rebounds and 20 assists in a game when the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Philadelphia 76ers on Thursday.
The two-time MVP made history again during the Bucks’ 121-115 overtime win against the Miami Heat on Saturday night when he finished with 36 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists.
“He’s the third player in NBA history to record back-to-back 35p/15r/10a games (Robertson & Chamberlain), and the first frontcourt player to record three straight 35p/10a games,” Statitudes’ Justin Kubatko posted on Bluesky on Sunday morning.
Antetokounmpo began his streak of contests with at least 35 points and 10 assists with a 37-point, 11-assist effort during Milwaukee’s victory against the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday.
Rivers Earned Gift After Moving Up All-Time Wins List
With the team’s defeat of the Sixers on Thursday, Bucks head coach Doc Rivers earned his 1,156th career victory, moving him past Hall-of-Famer Phil Jackson for seventh place on the all-time wins list.
On Saturday, Antetokounmpo gifted Rivers the game ball from his Thursday triple-double, though the latter explained that he’d be giving it back.
“He doesn’t know he’s getting the ball back,” Rivers said, per Tim Reynolds of the Associated Press.
Up next for Rivers on the all-time wins list is 2022 Hall of Fame inductee George Karl. The longtime Denver Nuggets coach finished his career with 1,175 wins.
Bucks Clinch Playoff Berth on Monumental Saturday
Not only did Antetokounmpo combine his selfless act with another historic performance on Saturday, but the Bucks also clinched their ninth straight postseason berth.
Milwaukee (43-34) actually locked up a playoff spot prior to taking the floor against Miami, by virtue of the New York Knicks win over the Atlanta Hawks earlier in the day. The Bucks also jumped ahead of the Detroit Pistons (43-35) in the Eastern Conference standings and enter Sunday as the fifth seed.
With five games left in their regular season, Antetokounmpo, Rivers and company will finish as either the fourth, fifth or sixth seed in the conference. The Bucks are three games behind the fourth-place Indiana Pacers (46-31) and 1/2 game ahead of the Pistons.
Milwaukee will close the regular season with two big games against Detroit on April 11 and April 13.
Doc Rivers Explains Rejecting Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Gift After 2-Time MVP Made NBA History