Basketball
“This is gonna be the toughest championship to win”- Giannis makes bold predictions about NBA restart
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokoumpo has been phenomenal this season while being the front runner for the MVP award. His dominance on the court is compared to that of Shaquille O’Neal and Hakeem Olajuwon. Coronavirus put a stop to what could potentially be a back to back MVP season for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
By clinching the top seed in the eastern conference for Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis has proved himself to be the most valuable player for the team. He has improved in every aspect when compared to the previous season averaging 29.6 points a game, 13.7 rebounds, and close to 6 assists. His dominance in the paint and lockdown defense all while scoring at .547 efficiency is commendable. Along with MVP, he is making a strong argument for the Defensive Player of the Year Award.
He could join Michael Jordan and Hakeem Olajuwon in being one of the few players to win MVP and DOPY in the same season.
Also Read: The Zion Williamson bias: Debunking the ‘Pelicans easy schedule’ narrative
Giannis jokes about getting extra fouls in the absence of homecourt advantage
Antetokounmpo said it “sucks a little bit” that the Bucks — who were the No. 1 seeded team — won’t have home court advantage.
He said he hopes the league has alternative advantages, like getting an extra foul: "An extra foul would help me,” he joked.
— Malika Andrews (@malika_andrews) July 1, 2020
Per ESPN’s Malika Andrews Giannis Antetokounmpo made bold statements about NBA return. He expressed his concern over players’ safety and health while playing in Orlando mounting to the surge in positive cases in Florida. He went on to say his mother might be the most concerned. However, he said he trusts the league’s protocols and understands his responsibilities towards his team and the Bucks organization.
Given their title odds and #1 seed in the east they have lost a huge advantage in home court. Although he jokingly suggested getting an extra foul call to make up for lost home-court advantage.
“A lot of people say that there’s gonna be a star next to this championship. At the end of the day, this is gonna be the toughest championshop you could ever win because the circumstances are really really tough. Whoever wants it more will be able to take it in the end”
In addition to the pandemic, protests have erupted on the streets of America against systemic racism and police brutality. Giannis Antetokounmpo took to the streets actively participating in the protests and asked for a safer home for his newborn son in Milwaukee.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is right about the asterisk beside the 2019-20 NBA championship, which might go down as the toughest one in recent history given the prevailing situation.
