The Greek Freak is on a Mission

×

Expand

1, 2, Giannis is coming for you. 3, 4, he’s going to score. 5, 6, Bucks are going to win in six. Okay, you get the picture.

With Halloween approaching, I felt it was appropriate considering the way Giannis Antetokounmpo has taken over the NBA during the first week of the season. The Greek Freak has been on fire, averaging a league leading 36.8 points to go along with 10.8 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.3 steals and 1.3 blocks per game. It’s a small sample size for sure, but no other Bucks player in franchise history has started a season off with these kinds of numbers. Not even a guy by the name of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, you may have heard of him. It’s not just franchise records, but also NBA records he’s setting to begin his fifth season.

When Giannis opened the season with 37 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and three steals in a win over Celtics; it was just a tease of what was to come. He followed it up with 34 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, three steals and a block against King James and Cavs in the home opener on national television despite a loss. It got people thinking, what has gotten into this 22-year-old kid? Then he backed it up with his best scoring output in a Bucks uniform to date with 44 points in a 113-110 win over Damien Lillard and the Portland Trailblazers on Saturday night.

While getting buckets has been the theme for Giannis early on, it’s the little things he does that really make a difference, especially on the defensive end. After missing two free throws in the final minute down one point, Giannis got right back down on defense and forced a steal from C.J. McCollum and finished it off with a dunk on the other end to take the lead. What came next was even more impressive as he blocked what would have been the go-ahead layup from Portland’s 7’1 center Jusif Nurkic.

That moment really opened my eyes especially as to how special of a player Giannis is becoming and how lucky the Bucks are to have him. Those kinds of plays are what make the difference between a star and a superstar.

Last but not least, Antetokounmpo not only validated that performance, but did it with ease as he poured in 32 points against the Hornets on Monday night with 14 rebounds, six assists and two blocks as part of another Bucks win. The only other Bucks players to record four straight 30-plus point games to start a season include that guy named Jabbar and Marques Johnson. If you go back to the playoffs last season, it makes six games in a row where the Greek Freak has dropped 30 or more. To put that in perspective, he never had 30-plus in more than two straight games in his career and only scored 38-plus points twice in 253 career games.

Next Level Vibe

Giannis’ historic start has vaulted him to the top of the MVP conversation, including in Las Vegas, where his odds are now at 5-2 after starting the season at 10-1. Not to mention, his Bucks team is 3-1 with their only blemish against the reigning Eastern Conference champion Cavaliers.

The numbers are what get peoples attention, and they are indeed nothing to blink at, but if you really watch this kid play then you realize it’s much more than that. His heart, determination and leadership are what make Giannis who he is. After losing his father, Charles Antetokounmpo, who passed away at age 54 just weeks before the start of the season, one can’t imagine how a 22-year-old would deal with it. The first thing Giannis did was gather his brothers and head down to the Bucks practice facility and just simply play some basketball because Charles loved nothing more than watching his sons play the game.

Giannis did miss some time in preseason but as soon as he rejoined his teammates, it’s been all business. We have already seen his improbable rise to one of the league’s best players, but no one could have expected a raw 18-year-old prospect to come this far in just four years. Having to pile-on the loss of his father makes you wonder just what the future holds and the limitless ceiling this young man has. Just listen to what he had to say about his dad after Saturday’s win over Portland.

How can you not love and appreciate what he brings to this state and franchise? While many think Aaron Rodgers is the most beloved athlete in Wisconsin, one can’t ignore what Giannis has given to Milwaukee and America’s Dairyland. They are 1A and 1B in my book. We have to be thankful that the Greek Freak is able represent the Bucks and put on that number 34 jersey each and every night.

Anyone remember that moment? Watching this kid grow up in front of our eyes is a blessing and something we shouldn’t take for granted as Bucks fans. Sure, there will be plenty of people jumping on the Bucks bandwagon this season and for the foreseeable future due to the rise of the Greek Freak and rightfully so. There’s nothing wrong with that but for those who have been around since day one, having this guy around has made going through all the tough years worth it in the long run. The days of mediocrity are seemingly in the rearview mirror. With Giannis at the helm, the Deer are on well on their way to greener pastures. Stay woke.

Just Getting Started

The Giannis Antetokounmpo MVP campaign is just beginning. Next up for the Bucks is the return to the Mecca. For those of you who don’t know, Milwaukee is celebrating the 50th season in franchise history. With that, they will make a return to where it all began as they welcome the Boston Celtics Thursday night to what is now called the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena, the Bucks’ first arena in franchise history. It will surely be a hot ticket considering the Mecca holds just about 11,000 people compared to about 18,700 at the current BMO Harris Bradley Center. While Giannis gets set to continue his historic start to the season, it will be a historic night to remember as the Deer look to improve to 4-1.