Bucks’ Thanasis Antetokounmpo showing who’s big brother

Welcome to the 2020-21 edition of the Bucks Weekly Spotlight. Each Thursday, we’ll track the progress of the players who are trying to help Milwaukee make a championship run and give updates on other players from the previous week.

This is the 12th edition of the 2020-21 Bucks Weekly Spotlight.

SPOTLIGHT ON …

Forward Thanasis Antetokounmpo

Thanasis is typically outscored by his younger brother, Giannis. But on Wednesday night — an historic night across the NBA — Thanasis finished with more points than little brother.

How so? Giannis scored 25 points and shot a 62% clip in Milwaukee’s 112-97 win over the Los Angeles Lakers. Comparatively, Thanasis finished with eight points on six shot attempts.

That’s because Thanasis’ three made baskets were three more than Kostas, the third-youngest Antetokounmpo bro, made in two minutes on the floor for the Lakers.

The Bucks’ resounding win marked just the second time in NBA history that a trio of brothers shared the court at the same time. And Thanasis, for once — it’s an extremely rare occasion playing alongside the league’s two-time reigning MVP — wasn’t the lowest Antetokounmpo on the totem pole.

Incredibly, the only other incident of a trio of brothers appearing in the same NBA game occurred when fellow Bucks point guard Jrue Holiday faced his brothers Justin and Aaron in 2019.

Thanasis’ big week wasn’t limited to Wednesday, however.

Last Saturday, March 27, with many Bucks players sidelined, including Giannis, Thanasis was in Milwaukee’s starting lineup and played nearly 37 minutes, posting 23 points, 10 rebounds, five assists – all career highs – and two steals.

He made 8 of 15 shots, including 4 of 5 on 3-point attempts. Amazingly, Antetokounmpo came into the contest having just two made 3s on 12 attempts.

Thanasis’ playing time fluctuates, but he’s been on the court for at least 12 minutes in four straight games and had at least seven points in each – he’d done that just once previously this season (eight points vs. Detroit on Jan. 6).

Big bro is proving he can play, too.

BUCKSHOTS 

— This week in Giannis: In the last two games, Antetokounmpo had 32 and 25 points. He also made 18 of 22 free-throw attempts (81.2%), which seems noteworthy. It’s the first time all season where had back-to-back games with at least 10 attempts from the line while making 80% or more.

— Jrue Holiday, one of the handful of players to miss the March 27 game against the Knicks, returned to action by posting consecutive 20+-point games. He had 24 points, seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and a block against the Clippers and 28 points, eight rebounds, six assists, four steals and a block vs. the Lakers.

— Axel Toupane, recently signed to a two-way contract, played in all four games last week giving him five on the season. He hasn’t played that many NBA contests since he appeared in 21 for Denver in 2015-16. He appeared in four games — two with Milwaukee — in 2016-17. He made the first start of his career in that March 27 game and played a career-high 27:16.