Bucks Zone

Giannis Antetokounmpo shows he is still a class above Zion Williamson

The young Pelicans star is good, but not that good yet to be compared to the Greek Freak.

Matthew Dugandzic

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Last night's game between the Milwaukee Bucks (22-8) and New Orleans Pelicans was dubbed as a must-watch not only because of the quality of both teams but the superstar battle at the power forward position between the best player in the game, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and one guy many are proclaiming to be the next one, Zion Williamson. But the Greek Freak showed there is still time until that torch gets passed.

Making a statement

It was obvious Giannis came to play last night, and he was hot from the start. Antetokounmpo was all over the floor, bringing in highlight play after highlight play. The Greek Freak would finish the game with 42 points (12-17 FG, 17-22 FT) and 10 rebounds.

On the other side, Zion had a very frustrating night, struggling to get it going, with Jrue Holiday pestering him and the combination of Giannis and Brook Lopez protecting the rim with perfection. The young Pelicans star notched 18 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists on just 7-16 from the floor and 4-8 from the free-throw line.

Zion is the future, Giannis is the present

Zion's play this season (25.5 ppg, 7.1 rpg, 4.6 apg)  has been spectacular, and many fans already put him in the category of the best players in the entire NBA. But on the other side, Giannis showed there is still a level above. 

After all, Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.6 ppg, 11.1 rpg, and 5.3 apg and leading the MVP race. Zion is only 22 years old, and the future is ahead of him, but for now, he will have to take a step back behind the Bucks superstar and wait for his turn.

Last night's duel was the fourth one between the two juggernauts so far in their carers, and for now, Giannis holds a 3-1 lead while being statistically better than the Pelicans star in their direct duels. But with both guys still having a lot of time in this league, there will be opportunities to add to the history and potential rivalry.

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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.