Giannis Antetokounmpo Is Set To Repeat As MVP
Giannis Antetokounmpo is leading the charge for the Milwaukee Bucks once again and appears to be set to repeat as the NBA’s MVP.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the NBA’s reigning MVP, but he doesn’t want you to call him that. At least not until he wins it again this season.
Antetokounmpo always seems to tip-toe the line between arrogant and confident. Nobody thinks twice when he talks about running it back and winning the most sought after individual hardware there is or when he says he thinks there isn’t a team in the league the Milwaukee Bucks can’t beat.
It’s safe to say he’s put his money where his mouth is so far this season.
Just past the halfway point, Antetokounmpo has the strongest case to win MVP for the second straight season. If that happens, he’d be the first player to win the award in back to back seasons since Stephen Curry did so in 2014-15 and 2015-16.
The Greek Freak has led the Bucks to the league’s best record at 39-6, and they’re on pace to become just the third team in league history to win at least 70 games. Their only barrier could be how soon they lock up the Eastern Conference considering they already hold an eight-game lead over the second-placed Miami Heat.
He’s already putting up better counting stats than last season despite playing two fewer minutes. His 30 points, 12.9 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game are coming in just over 30 minutes per contest. His per 36 minutes stats are even more insane. Here’s how he stacks up against his primary competition in James Harden and the immortal LeBron James:
| Rk | Player | Age | GS | FG% | 3P% | TRB | AST | STL | BLK | TOV | PTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Giannis Antetokounmpo | 25 | 42 | .554 | .322 | 15.1 | 6.6 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 4.2 | 35.2 |
| 2 | James Harden | 30 | 41 | .441 | .361 | 6.1 | 7.2 | 1.6 | 0.9 | 4.5 | 35.6 |
| 3 | LeBron James | 35 | 41 | .491 | .341 | 7.9 | 11.3 | 1.3 | 0.5 | 3.9 | 26.1 |
Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Each player has a unique skillset and advantage, to be sure, however, Antetokounmpo is the most dominant player among the trio. He can impact the game at a higher level and in more ways than anyone else. James was once the most dominant and complete player in the world, but that title has now been passed to Antetokounmpo.
None of this takes into account his defense which is being played at an absolutely absurd level. Antetokounmpo is one of only a few players who can truly guard anybody in the NBA. Milwaukee prefers to use him as an off-ball roamer, a free safety of sorts. This allows him to clean up any mistakes his teammates may make and impact all five offensive players on the court. The best part is he never takes a possession off like some of his counterparts.
The biggest barrier to a repeat may be the team’s competition. The Bucks are rarely challenged and should have the East locked up in March. How much will they truly need their leader for the last month-plus of the season? His playing time could severely dampen his MVP run down the stretch.
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Regardless, it’s not his fault he plays on the most complete team in the league. He should not be punished for the Bucks’ success.
There’s still a lot of ball to be played, and both Harden and James are more than capable of going on historic runs. Heck, they already are in their own right. Don’t carve it in stone quite yet, but you can possibly pencil Antetokounmpo’s name onto the 2019-20 MVP Trophy.