Tonight’s Game 6 of the NBA Finals isn’t just another game, played for another championship. The storyline is deeper and richer, and it can’t be told without saying this name, Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Up 3-2 in the series vs. the Phoenix Suns, the Bucks can close out the season, and the championship, at home tonight. And they wouldn’t be there without a dominating figure. He’s ‘The“Greek Freak,’ Giannis Antetokounmpo. In a word, he is dominating the sport of basketball. And Antetokounmpo is now on the cusp of winning his first (and probably not his last) NBA title.
Thankfully, Antetokounmpo will play tonight. A knee injury jeopardized post-season play, and many analysts believed he wouldn’t return to the court until next season. They were wrong.
The Freak shook off a shaky performance upon his return to regain the form that made him a two-time MVP. At both ends of the floor, his interior play has propelled the Bucks to something they hadn’t experienced since 1971 when they won their lone title.
But even if Milwaukee repeats tonight (or wins Game 7), today’s team can’t do what those ’71 Bucks did with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar at center and Oscar Robinson at point. They swept the Baltimore Bullets.
Still, make no mistake about this. It’s no hyperbole to compare the Jabbar of old with the Antetokounmpo of today. Numbers tell the tale. Against the Suns, Giannis is averaging 32.2 PPG, 13 RPG, and 5.6 APG on 61% field goal shooting. For the 1970-71 season, Jabbar averaged 31.7 PPG, 16 RPG, and 3.3 APG on 57.7 field goal shooting. And consider this: the ’71 Jabbar was just beginning his NBA career, just as ‘The Freak’ is just beginning his.
So basketball fans everywhere need to learn how to spell A-n-t-e-t-o-k-o-u-n-m-p-o. At just 26 years of age, Giannis Antetokounmpo is positioned to become one of the NBA’s all-time greats–just like Jabbar before him.
But wait! Devin Booker and the Suns won’t give anything away tonight or Th night in Phoenix if The Series goes to Game 7. Greatness isn’t determined by words. Deeds make it so. That means ‘The Freak’ has work to do.
