"When I get hit, I kind of enjoy it!” -  Giannis Antetokounmpo addresses monster performance against the Portland Trail Blazers

Giannis admitted he enjoys physicality on the basketball floor.
© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
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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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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.