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Andrew LopezESPN
Milwaukee – Giannis Antikonmo He noticed her coming.
The Milwaukee Bucks star was about to start a postgame interview on the sphere when he noticed teammates standing within the tunnel out of the nook of his eye. He knew precisely what they had been planning, too.
With extra teammates rising, Antetokounmpo slowly started to fall again from the baseline all the way in which to his half of the sphere.
In the long run, he accepted his destiny and his teammates dunked him within the water to rejoice one other spectacular efficiency — 50 factors and 13 rebounds on 20-of-26 capturing in simply half-hour of motion because the Bucks defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 135-110, on Sunday.
Usually, a post-game water bathe is reserved for the locker room, however his teammates determined it needed to be executed on the sphere.
“We will as effectively do it in entrance of everybody,” the Bucks guard Jrue vacation He stated. “It is actually simply to indicate how a lot we admire him. For him to go on the market and do it’s nice regardless of what number of occasions you rating 50.”
It was Antetokounmpo’s fifth profession 50-point common season recreation and his second this month—the primary time he had had a number of 50-point video games in the identical season. He had 55 factors on January 3 towards the Detroit Pistons. He additionally joins Joel Embiid As the one gamers this season with a number of 50-point, 10-rebound video games this season.
Antetokounmpo scored 18 factors within the first quarter as he received off to a quick begin and by no means seemed again. He had 29 factors within the first half, tied for second within the first half.
Vacation stated Antetokounmpo makes it look straightforward and is aware of precisely what to do when he makes a begin like he did on Sunday.
“It is a tremendous time,” stated Vacation. “Everyone’s sort of on his shoulders and we’re simply getting alongside. At that time, we simply should again him up. If he passes it to us, shoot. However for essentially the most half, we all know who’s going to hold us.”
Bucks Heart Brook Lopez He stated when Antetokounmpo performs the way in which he has it’s “enjoyable to look at”.
“He got here to courtroom along with his ordinary willpower,” Lopez stated. “He did not settle. He was reaching for the sting in methods he might and simply ending it. These are powerful ends, and he was nonetheless getting them executed.”
Antitokonmo entered the fourth quarter with 35 factors and was sitting at 44 factors earlier than he dropped 3 consecutive throws late within the fourth quarter, scoring 50 factors.
He admitted he knew he was near the fifty mark late on as he was racking up the three-pointers.
“I knew if I might get the rebound, I’d shoot,” Antetokounmo stated. “It would not at all times work out, but it surely labored tonight. I did not hesitate in any respect. I used to be capable of get my leg below my shot. I simply stayed there and watched the ball go in.”
“It is a kind of moments you simply cannot take as a right since you by no means know when you are going to have these moments once more.”
Antetokounmo instantly turned his consideration to the Charlotte Hornets, who the Bucks play Tuesday night time. The final time the groups performed on January 6, the Hornets got here away with a 138-109 victory.
That night time, Antetokounmpo completed with simply 9 factors and 4 rebounds on 2-of-7 capturing, a far cry from his efficient night time towards the Pelicans on Sunday.
“Tonight I feel 50 of 26 photographs is spectacular,” Bucks coach Mike Bodenholzer stated. “All he is executed, his aggressiveness. A few 3s, particularly late on. However he hits it rather well. He seems like extra catch and shoot is one thing that if we will create just a few of these for him and construct confidence in that space, hold hitting the road Free throws and dealing on that, these are the areas the place he is getting higher.”