"When I get hit, I kind of enjoy it!” - Giannis Antetokounmpo addresses monster performance against the Portland Trail Blazers
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo had a massive game against the Portland Trail Blazers last night.
Giannis had been struggling in the last few games, but he was on a tear this time around. He was dominant in the paint, and he had his jump shot going all game long. He finished with 37 points on 16-24 shooting from the field, and he rounded out his stat line with 7 rebounds and 6 assists. The 'Greek Freak' was a menace, and the Blazers could not stop him.
Giannis Antetokounmpo loves being hit
The Blazers had no answers for Giannis in the second half as he poured in 24 points on 10-14 shooting from the field. Portland resorted to some hard fouls, but even that couldn't slow down the 'Greek Freak'. When asked about this in his post-game conference, Antetokounmpo said that it didn't matter.
"I take a lot of hard hits but at the end of the day, it's basketball. I enjoy putting my body on the line. It puts a fire in my belly and wakes me up. When I get hit, I kind of enjoy it. I feel I'm part of the game, I'm locked in and I'm being aggressive," Giannis admitted.
Giannis is back in MVP contention
When the Bucks started the season 8-0, Giannis was the favorite for MVP. He had spectacular stats, and his team was the best in the league. But since then, Milwaukee and Giannis have slowed down a bit. The Bucks have gone 4-4 in their last 8 games, showing a few weaknesses. Giannis himself has had an underwhelming month and missed a few games due to injury.
All this seemed to have dropped him in the MVP rankings. His rivals Luka Doncic and Jayson Tatum have continued to have hot starts, as a couple of other superstars have come into the picture as well. But now it looks like Giannis is right back in the hunt with a monster performance.
Antetokounmpo will be keen on stringing together a bunch of good performances and getting back on top of the MVP ladder soon. With all the talent this year in the NBA, this will be an MVP race for the ages.
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