In the NBA season opener, LeBron James scored 29 points, snagged 16 rebounds, dished out nine assists and blocked two shots in Cleveland’s 102-99 win over Boston.
Last night, Giannis Antetokounmpo gave the Celtics more headaches with 37 points, 13 rebounds, three steals and three blocks in Milwaukee’s 108-100 victory.
Ben Rohrbach on Twitter
Brad Stevens: “When you watched Giannis tonight, you thought, that’s an MVP candidate right there.
Tonight when the Cavs and Bucks do battle in Milwaukee, fans will get treated to two of the world’s greatest players, one at the top of the hierarchy in LeBron, and the other challenging him for his crown as the undisputed king and baddest man on the planet in Antetokounmpo, aka The Greek Freak.
For a few years, people have been talking about the Milwaukee star’s potential. Staring his fifth NBA season and still on 22 years old, Antetokounmpo had his breakout last year while shooting 52% from the field and averaging 23 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two steals and two blocks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s INSANE 2017 Regular Season Mixtape!
Milwaukee Bucks Superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is molding himself into a versatile NBA Superstar, leading the Bucks in all categories this year! Come watch his season highlights in this crazy NBA Mixtape!
He is now a legitimate MVP candidate and the 6-foot-11 small forward will soon surpass LeBron and Kevin Durant as the preeminent player at his position in the years to come. He was a first-time All-Star last year, a second-team All-NBA pick, and the winner of the Most Improved Player award. And the crazy thing is that he’s just beginning to scratch the surface of where his phenomenal game is heading.
The tantalizing arsenal was on display against Boston – the speed in the open floor, the ridiculous strength and insane hops, the combination of power and finesse, the handles, long-range jumper, the fluidity in leading the break, explosiveness, silky spin moves and predatory defense.
Having led Milwaukee to the playoffs in two of the last three years, his game is no longer a novelty. The only two players on Trump’s globally warmed earth that might be better than him are LeBron and KD.
Notice that I said “might be.”
Because after this 2017-2018 season, that dynamic could be altered in ways that were once unimaginable back when he averaged seven points and four rebounds per game as a rookie.
Giannis Antetokounmpo Scores 37 Points On Opening Night vs. Celtics
Giannis Antetokounmpo starts off the 2017-18 season with a bang. 37 points, 13 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals in a 108-100 opening night victory over the Boston Celtics. Find more exclusive sports coverage: http://bleacherreport.com/ Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/user/BleacherReport?sub_confirmation=1 Follow us on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bleacherreport Like us on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bleacherreport
While the Wizards and the Celtics are getting the most hype in terms of the prelims for a chance to supplant LeBron’s Cleveland machine for Eastern Conference supremacy, you better believe that King James is looking at The Greek Freak like Omar had his sights on Stinkum and Weebay.
The only glaring hole in Antetokounmpo’s game right now is a three-point arsenal. Once that surfaces, and as LeBron and KD age out, it’s a wrap. At some point, LeBron will have to abdicate the throne.
And as exceptional as Anthony Davis, KD, Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Russell Westbrook, Stephen Curry and John Wall are, The Greek Freak has arrived on the scene like Jon Snow with a dope, hungry crew and some dragons in tow, ready to take his spot as the exalted, supreme ruler of all basketball kingdoms in the very near future.
