Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo had another game with over 30 points and 10 rebounds. On Christmas Day, he scored 32 points, grabbed 13 rebounds, recorded six assists, blocked two shots, and recorded one steal despite falling to the New York Knicks on the road 129-122.
Antetokounmpo penciling in over 30 points and over 10 rebounds in NBA games this season seems to be a common theme for him. Milwaukee has played in 30 games this season. Out of those 30 games, Giannis Antetokounmpo has done it 14 times.
That is second in the NBA this season. The only other player to have more than Antetokounmpo this season in that category is Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, who has done it 18 times and it was mentioned on the ESPN broadcast on Monday during the Bucks vs. the New York Knicks matchup. He is potentially on track to win the NBA MVP Award for the second consecutive season.
Antetokounmpo told Matthew Dugandzic of Sports Illustrated after the game for facing the New York Knicks four times already this season:
“It was kind of like a playoff matchup. We’ve played this team four times in the past month, month and a half. Two times in the past few days. It’s a good test for us. We’re going to play teams in the playoffs twice [on the road], so being able to win the first one, lose the second one, it’s good. We’ll learn from it.”
The good news for the Milwaukee Bucks is that they won the season series against the New York Knicks 3-1. It is possible that they could face each other again in the NBA playoffs this season. Milwaukee is currently 22-8 and in second in the east and New York is currently 17-12 and sixth in the east.
Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks Will Need to Continue His Dominant Performances To Overtake Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers in the MVP Race Unless Injuries Decide It
Embiid did not play for the 76ers on Christmas Day in a 119-113 loss on the road against the Miami Heat. Joel Embiid has played in 25 games this season and has averaged 35.0 PPG, 11.7 RPG, 6.0 APG, 2.0 BPG, and 1.2 SPG.
The only way he is not going to win MVP is if he does not play enough games due to injury. Giannis Antetokounmpo has played in 29 games this season for the Milwaukee Bucks. He is averaging 30.8 PPG, 11.0 RPG, 5.5 APG, 1.2 BPG, and 1.4 SPG.
Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo are both dominant players in their own ways. However, the 2024 MVP race will be Embiid’s to lose because has a history of being injury prone throughout the course of his NBA career also.
