On Thursday night, Giannis Antetokounmpo officially entered NBA lore. He became the first player to score 35 points, grab 17 rebounds and dish out 20 assists in a single game. That historic performance powered the Milwaukee Bucks to a 126-113 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. This game was a historical moment, not just in the career of Antetokounmpo but for the entire NBA league.
The Bucks were dealt the tough hands of having to play without fellow star guard Damian Lillard, who is out with deep vein thrombosis. With Lillard missing, Antetokounmpo took on more distributing duties and showed what makes him one of the most versatile players in the league. He was key in helping the team shoot a staggering 51.6% from three, an important element in sealing the victory.
Antetokounmpo had a career-high 20 dimes. This incredible outing propelled him into an exclusive club of only three players in Bucks’ history to ever achieve this feat. He joined Ramon Sessions and Guy Rodgers who each posted 24 assists in their own legendary games. With this incredible performance, Antetokounmpo entered the history books. In doing so, he became the third player this season to score at least 30 points and hand out 20 assists in a game.
On the coaching side, during the game head coach Doc Rivers started to feel sick and left the bench in first half. He decided to stay out and watch from the locker room as assistant coach Darvin Ham took over to lead the team. Reflecting on the changes Antetokounmpo needed to make, Ham said,
“Giannis has to think more like a point forward.” – Darvin Ham
Antetokounmpo’s ability to adapt and lead the team in Lillard’s absence was evident throughout the game. His scoring prowess combined with his playmaking skills created opportunities for his teammates and contributed significantly to the Bucks’ offensive success.
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