Giannis Antetokounmpo went toe-to-toe with Luka Doncic in Saturday’s marquee matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and the Dallas Mavericks. Arguably two of the Top 5 players in the NBA today faced off in an epic duel that saw each of them delivering (and taking) blow after blow.
It was an instant classic.
Milwaukee Bucks Star Giannis Antetokounmpo Sounds Off on Superstar Showdown
Damian Lillard and Kyrie Irving both had to take a step back in the first half as Giannis and Doncic did their thing. It’s as if the two superstars traded baskets on opposite ends. Antetokoummpo was nearly flawless in the opening half, scoring on 10 out of his 11 attempts from the field. Not to be outdone, Doncic drained three triples while dishing out five dimes in the first two quarters of action.
After the game, Giannis spoke out about the recently-concluded battle. The former back-to-back MVP acknowledged the superstar influence on the game, but he also explained why he did not allow himself to get caught up in all the hype:
“I try to be OK with myself and with the game that I can play and the way I can help my teammates and try to play within my strengths as much as I can,” Antetokounmpo said, via Jim Owczarski of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. “The moment that you start comparing and try to play or go basket-for-basket with three probably, arguably, one of the best shooters in the league; Kyrie can make any shot he wants, Luka can make every step he wants, Damian can shoot from the freakin’ logo.
“Like, how can I go basket-to-basket with those guys? I cannot. I just gotta play my game, rebound the ball, play some defense, attack as much as I can, create plays for my teammate and just play within my strengths.”
Like Giannis said, the two other superstars on both teams also made their presence felt. Lillard posted a 27-point, 12-assist double-double, while on the opposite end, Kyrie scored a team-high 39 points on 16-of-29 from the floor. Needless to say, the stars came out to play.
At the end of the day, however, it was still Giannis who reigned supreme, which quite honestly, isn’t a surprise at all.
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