NBA: Can Giannis claim the world’s best player with Finals victory?
The mythical title of the NBA’s best player has been a hot topic recently. Over the last decade, LeBron James has been universally recognized as the best, except for some critics, and a two-year stint from Stephen Curry. For the most part, when the dust settles at the end of the playoffs, the player holding the Larry O'Brien trophy, and Bill Russell Finals MVP has the best claim to league’s top player. Despite the opinions from most experts and analysts, fans and critics, Giannis Antetokounmpo has been dominant during the entire postseason and NBA Finals.
Antetokounmpo’s road to the Finals: The Bucks started the playoffs by facing the Miami Heat, who shocked them (4-1) in the bubble last season. Milwaukee was once again exposed by their lack of depth, a true second option, and Antetokounmpo's inconsistent play, especially in high leverage moments. The team was mentally defeated last year, with the opportunity to re-write the script this postseason. In the series, Antetokounmpo dominated the Heat nearly averaging a triple-double with 23.5 points, 15 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in a 4-0 sweep.
Then with nothing to lose, and everything to gain, Antetokounmpo, lead his team to a Game 7 victory over Kevin Durant and the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 31.8 points and 12.8 rebounds in the conference semifinals. The Nets were decimated by injuries but were heavy favorites to represent the East in the Finals. With injuries to Kyrie Irving and James Harden, Antetokounmpo received an easier path to the conference finals with only two real threats: Durant and his shoe. On the verge of reaching their first Finals since 1971, Milwaukee's last obstacle was the Atlanta Hawks.
This series saw the continued emergence of Trae Young’s superstardom, dropping 48 points in Game 1 of the conference finals. He suffered a bone bruise in Game 3 after stepping on a referee's foot out of bounds. Young was not the only star to suffer an injury, though, as Antetokounmpo was hurt in Game 4 after trying to block an alley-oop attempt by Clint Capela. He landed awkwardly on his left leg. Although the series was hard-fought by the Hawks and Young, Milwaukee ended up winning in six games behind Khris Middleton’s 32-point explosion with Antetokounmpo sidelined.
The Finals have been nothing short of sensational, with intriguing storylines featuring Chris Paul's first opportunity at capturing a championship, Devin Booker's emergence, a coming-out party for DeAndre Ayton, and the pure dominance of Antetokounmpo. With the series tied 2-2 heading back to Phoenix on Saturday night, Giannis and the Bucks have a golden opportunity to seize momentum. Antetokounmpo has lived up to his superstar status with all-time great performances in these Finals. In a Game 2 loss, he dropped 42 points and 12 rebounds. While in a Game 3 win, he totaled 41 points and 13 rebounds, becoming the first player to score 40+ points in back-to-back Finals games since LeBron James in 2016.
In Game 4, Antetokounmpo, put up 26 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists, with one of the greatest defensive plays in league history, a block on Ayton in the waning minute of the game. He is having one of the greatest Finals in history, averaging 32.3 points, 14 rebounds, and 5.5 assists while shooting 60.4% from the field through four games. Although Antetokounmpo’s game possesses major holes, that case can be made for any top superstar in today’s game. Giannis is performing at an all-time level that only a handful of players have reached. With only two wins from his first championship, and presumably Finals MVP, the torch and crown of the NBA’s best could be passed.
Photo Credit: Oregon Live.
