On Friday night, Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo became the third player in NBA history to record 40 points, 20 rebounds, and five assists in back-to-back games, joining Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor. Chamberlain logged a 40/20/5 stat line in consecutive games five times. Baylor did it once.
In the Bucks’ 123-114 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves, the six-time All-Star finished with 43 points, 20 boards, five assists, one steal, and two blocks in 38 minutes of action. He also shot 14-of-23 (60.9%) from the field and made one 3-pointer.
Based on a few NBA betting sites, Giannis Antetokounmpo now possesses the fourth-best odds to win MVP in 2023. Some sportsbooks are showing greater odds for Luka Doncic, Jayson Tatum, and Nikola Jokic.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the 3rd player in NBA history with consecutive games of 40 points, 20 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Wilt Chamberlain had five different streaks of exactly two games, and Elgin Baylor had one streak of four games. pic.twitter.com/nSu7hUCc0o
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) December 31, 2022
“It’s a great compliment to be around those guys,” said Giannis Antetokounmpo after the win. “I just want to win games, so I just tried to go out there and do whatever I can to push myself to the limit.”
Moreover, Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer expects performances like this. “His force, his determination, his will, attacking attacking attacking, finding teammates for open looks, just, you know his competitive nature,” Budenholzer added. “It’s what we’re built for, what he’s built for.”
Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo joins Wilt Chamberlain, Elgin Baylor as the only players in NBA history with back-to-back 40/20/5 games
In Milwaukee’s 119-113 win against the Chicago Bulls on Wednesday night, the 10-year veteran logged 45 points, a career-high 22 rebounds, and seven assists. He finished 17-of-39 (43.6%) shooting from the floor and 11-of-17 (64.7%) at the foul line.
The five-time All-Defensive member became the seventh player in NBA history with multiple games of 40 points, 20 rebounds, five assists, and 60% shooting. Since the ABA-NBA merger in the 1967-77 season, Charles Barkley and Antetokounmpo are the only players to accomplish this feat in more than one game.
Furthermore, Giannis Antetokounmpo is the first player since Moses Malone in 1982 to post back-to-back 40-point, 20-rebound games. More importantly, this win eliminated the Bucks’ four-game losing streak. Milwaukee is now 23-12 and trails the Boston Celtics by 2.5 games for the top seed in the East.
Giannis Antetokounmpo with back-to-back 40/20 games. First to do it since Moses Malone in 1982. pic.twitter.com/MVWCApfroS
— Kevin O’Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) December 31, 2022
Through 30 starts this season, the two-time MVP is averaging career highs of 32.1 points and 11.5 field goals per game. Not to mention, he’s logging 11.8 rebounds and 5.2 assists per contest while shooting 53.3% from the field.
Additionally, while the Greek Freak’s true shooting percentage (58.9%) is not the best of his career, Antetokounmpo’s usage percentage is a career-high 38.7%, which leads the NBA. These stats are amazing.
The Milwaukee wing ranks fifth in points (962), fifth in total rebounds (355), third in defensive rebounds (287), fourth in field goals (344), fifth in player efficiency rating (28.4), and third in defensive win shares (1.8).
Although the 28-year-old might not win MVP, the forward could win Defensive Player of the Year. Sportsbooks are giving Giannis Antetokounmpo the third-best odds, trailing fellow teammate Brook Lopez and Memphis Grizzlies center Jaren Jackson Jr.
