Giannis Antetokounmpo had a stunning 59-point game, the most points in the NBA season so far, in the Milwaukee Bucks’ win over the Pistons on Wednesday.
The Greek Freak lifted the Bucks to an overtime win, 127-120, against the Detroit Pistons in Fiserv Forum.
He put up 22 out of the 24 Bucks points in the first quarter, including all field goals. In overtime, he tallied 11 points with 5/5 field goals, including one triple. He also put ten points apiece in the third and fourth periods.
It was a wild game that featured physical play by the Pistons. Following the buildup to the upcoming boxing match between Mike Tyson and Jake Paul, Antetokounmpo explained his approach to such situations.
“Some guys are manufactured killers and he’s a born killer,” he referred to Tyson describing himself, “I just feel the same way. I have been in that position many times in my life. I have two older brothers to push me on the floor, be tough on me, especially Thanasis.
“I always struggle with this. When to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive,” he said.
Trade rumors for Antetokounmpo
It was a welcoming win for the Bucks whose poor performance at the beginning of the NBA season has disappointed the fans and raised questions about Antetokounmpo’s future in the club.
However, “teams are circling — and hopeful,” one Western Conference team executive told CBS News.
According to US outlet an Eastern Conference NBA executive has already heard the places believed to be Giannis’ would-be preferred destinations: “The teams I’ve heard are Miami and New York — the Nets, not the Knicks.”
Antetokounmpo added fuel to this fire himself a few weeks ago when talking to The Athletic‘s Sam Amick, he alluded to the idea of being traded if things go badly this season.
“If we don’t win this year, would you get fired?” the Bucks star asked a staffer, according to Amick’s reporting. “Do you have it in the back of your mind, like, ‘(What) if this year doesn’t go well?’ Yeah, if we don’t win a championship, I might get traded. Yeah, this is the job we live. This is the world we’re living in. It’s everybody.”
After expressing frustration about the Bucks’ lack of “identity”, Antetokounmpo shared a more optimistic perspective when speaking to reporters following the loss to the Celtics.
“At the end of the day, we have a great team. I believe we will keep on playing better, learning from our mistakes,” Antetokounmpo said. “Eventually, we are going to start winning games. I don’t think we are far off.”