First career 40-20 game for Bucks’ Antetokounmpo is one for the books
Welcome to the 2019-20 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, give updates on other players from the previous week and sometimes take a look at who is lighting it up for the Wisconsin Herd.
This is the 16th edition of the 2019-20 Bucks Weekly Spotlight
SPOTLIGHT ON …
Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
There’s been a lot to track in Antetokounmpo’s follow-up season to his 2018-19 MVP campaign. From his double-double streaks to his 50-point games, the Greek Freak is always setting some sort of record or joining an exclusive list in Bucks or NBA history.
Well, this past week, Antetokounmpo was up to his typical milestone-shattering self.
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The reigning MVP went off for 41 points and 20 rebounds in the Bucks’ 93-85 win over Charlotte on Sunday night to notch his first career 40-20 game. Antetokounmpo also added six assists and one steal in the victory.
He’s just the second Bucks player to post 40+ points and 20+ rebounds in a game, joining — yep, you guessed it — Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Abdul-Jabbar did it 10 times from 1970-74 with the Bucks and posted a 40-20-6 stat line five times in that span.
Only three players have produced a 40-20-6 stat line since 1987: Joe Barry Carroll, DeMarcus Cousins (twice) and the Greek Freak.
Anything Antetokounmpo tried to do against the Hornets, he got his way. He made 17 of 28 attempts from the field — his second-most makes from the floor all season — and nailed one 3-pointer in the 41-point effort.
Fourteen of those 17 makes were from within four feet of the hoop as Antetokounmpo cruised past Charlotte defenders in the paint with ease all night long.
Mr. Antetokounmpo, HOW DO YOU DO??? pic.twitter.com/F6NGGNPLAY
— FOX Sports Wisconsin (@fswisconsin) March 1, 2020
Antetokounmpo wrapped up the month of February by averaging 28.3 points, 17.0 rebounds and 6.4 assists per contest while shooting 31.0% from 3-point range across nine games. Despite those rebound and assist numbers being his best for a month all year, the NBA gave the Eastern Conference Player of the Month nod to Boston’s rising star Jayson Tatum.
It was the first time Antetokounmpo didn’t win the monthly honor since January 2019, ending his run of five consecutive Player of the Month awards.
Maybe there is still room for improvement, eh?
BUCK SHOTS
— Khris Middleton drained a pair of 3-pointers Wednesday night for his 18th straight game with multiple 3s to set a new franchise record, breaking Ray Allen’s streak of 17 back in the 2001-02 season. Check this out for more details on the streak.
— Second-year guard Donte DiVincenzo matched a season high with 19 points Wednesday night against Indiana. He also tallied eight rebounds, one assist, one steal and one block in the win.
— The Wisconsin Herd have won eight of their last 10 games and own the best record in the G League at 31-10.
— Two-way guard Frank Mason continues to dominate the G League, as he’s scored 28+ points in his last six games with the Herd. Mason was called up to the Bucks for Wednesday’s game and tallied two rebounds and one assist in five minutes of action. He did not attempt a shot.
