We’ve come a long way from the concern that Giannis Antetokounmpo’s season was coming to an end. The Milwaukee Bucks upset the Phoenix Suns 120-100 in a must-win Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Sunday, cutting Phoenix’s series advantage to 2-1 going into Game 4 on Wednesday.
I say “must-win” because no NBA club has ever won a seven-game series after falling behind 3-0. Antetokounmpo matched the intensity of the situation with a magnificent performance, ending with 41 points, 13 rebounds, and six assists for the second straight game. From the field, he was 14-for-23. He made 13 of 17 free throws, which was quite amazing.
Giannis’ performance on Sunday, when combined with his 42-point effort in Game 2, put him in rare company as the sixth player in Finals history to score 40 points in back-to-back games. Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West, and Rick Barry are the other five. LeBron James (who was the last to achieve it in 2016, when he put up 41 points in Games 5 and 6 against the Warriors), Michael Jordan, Shaquille O’Neal, Jerry West, and Rick Barry are the other five.
When you add in the double-digit rebounding, everyone on the list except Shaq and Giannis is crossed off.
Reference:https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-finals-giannis-antetokounmpo-says-hes-not-michael-jordan-but-bucks-star-is-halfway-to-m-j-s-record/
