Giannis Antetokounmpo 20-21 Thread

nbhadja · Post #141 » by **nbhadja** » Sun Jul 18, 2021 6:44 pm

If Giannis and the Bucks win game 6 or 7 Giannis will have one of the most impressive resumes for a player his age in NBA history:

2x MVP
1x DPOY
1x Champion
1x FMVP
3x All NBA first team (2x all NBA second team)
3x All defensive first team (2x all NBA second team)
1x all star MVP
1x Most improved player

All before the age of 27. The only award he would have missed out on is ROY. He would have won everything else there is to win.

RSCD3_ · Post #142 » by **RSCD3_** » Sun Jul 18, 2021 7:42 pm

8 turnovers over 5 games is really impressive

turbo2k · Post #143 » by **turbo2k** » Sun Jul 18, 2021 9:51 pm

His decision making is nearing consistent elite level, HUGE jump in handling different defenses and running and operating in a team offense.

Ron Swanson · Post #144 » by **Ron Swanson** » Mon Jul 19, 2021 12:32 am

RSCD3_ wrote:8 turnovers over 5 games is really impressive

This is probably the most underrated aspect of his series and it's incredibly Jordan-esque. To not give away possessions considering that amount of usage and add on the scoring efficiency (32 PPG on 63% TS), and you're talking about one of the most efficient Finals series in the history of basketball. Even more incredible when you add in the defensive impact and clutch plays.

JulesWinnfield · Post #145 » by **JulesWinnfield** » Mon Jul 19, 2021 1:50 pm

Ron Swanson wrote:
RSCD3_ wrote:8 turnovers over 5 games is really impressive

This is probably the most underrated aspect of his series and it's incredibly Jordan-esque. To not give away possessions considering that amount of usage and add on the scoring efficiency (32 PPG on 63% TS), and you're talking about one of the most efficient Finals series in the history of basketball. Even more incredible when you add in the defensive impact and clutch plays.

I’m gonna hold off until this series is over but I can’t wait to hear people’s opinions on where his finals ranks over the last 30 or so years when it’s all said and done. It won’t be number 1, but among finals I’ve seen it’s at least in the same tier of some of the best we’ve seen from the top finals performers in my lifetime (MJ, Shaq, Lebron, Hakeem, 03 Duncan, 06 Wade). Still one more to get though

RSCD3_ · Post #146 » by **RSCD3_** » Mon Jul 19, 2021 3:03 pm

There’s already been discussion if this is above the 2016 lebron finals. It was rebuked pretty quickly and most people agreed 2016 was better. If he closes out with another huge game I think you’ll find a lot more people have that opinion

JulesWinnfield · Post #147 » by **JulesWinnfield** » Mon Jul 19, 2021 4:53 pm

RSCD3_ wrote:There’s already been discussion if this is above the 2016 lebron finals. It was rebuked pretty quickly and most people agreed 2016 was better. If he closes out with another huge game I think you’ll find a lot more people have that opinion

I’d take the Lebron 16 finals at this moment too. But I’d take this Giannis performance thus far (assuming he finishes it with another similar level performance) over any of the 6 finals that Lebron played prior to that. I’d take it over all of the Jordan second three peat finals too. We’ll see how he finishes it off, but this is a top tier finals performance in the making

KTM_2813 · Post #148 » by **KTM_2813** » Mon Jul 19, 2021 5:02 pm

JulesWinnfield wrote:
RSCD3_ wrote:There’s already been discussion if this is above the 2016 lebron finals. It was rebuked pretty quickly and most people agreed 2016 was better. If he closes out with another huge game I think you’ll find a lot more people have that opinion

I’d take the Lebron 16 finals at this moment too. But I’d take this Giannis performance thus far (assuming he finishes it with another similar level performance) over any of the 6 finals that Lebron played prior to that. I’d take it over all of the Jordan second three peat finals too. We’ll see how he finishes it off, but this is a top tier finals performance in the making

I know that this may not be especially relevant if we're talking about sheer goodness or excellence, but the fact that Giannis is playing like this after hyperextending his knee is insanely impressive. For a while, people were wondering if he was even going to play, and here he is dominating.

JulesWinnfield · Post #149 » by **JulesWinnfield** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:36 am

Legendary performance tonight. What an incredible series by Giannis. Congrats to the Bucks. Extremely likeable squad

Laimbeer · Post #150 » by **Laimbeer** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:43 am

Where would 2020-21 rank in the all-time peaks?

TheGOATRises007 · Post #151 » by **TheGOATRises007** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:45 am

That was his best ever series.

His finals performance is up there with anyone's.

RSCD3_ · Post #152 » by **RSCD3_** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:58 am

Absolutely phenomenal masterpiece

His gamescore will be 42.4 which is the 2nd highest ever behind 2016 James Game 6 who put up 42.5. Just a force of nature when the rest of the bucks were struggling, absolute Herculean lift

LA Bird · Post #153 » by **LA Bird** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 3:59 am

Excluding G1 when he was coming back from his knee injury, Giannis in the Finals averaged:
38.2 points, 12.4 rebounds, 5.2 assists, 1.0 steals, 2.0 blocks, 2.2 turnovers, 66.3% TS.

kayess · Post #154 » by **kayess** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 4:06 am

Absolutely zero words. Tough to rank stuff at the moment, I would still probably take 2016-17 over this due to the impact created against GOAT-tier competition, but this closeout game man...

ceiling raiser · Post #155 » by **ceiling raiser** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 4:08 am

Don't want to overreact to one series, but he looked like the best player in the world out there. Maybe KD or Steph can take the crown back next year, but Giannis easily had the best Finals since peak Shaq to me.

As much as I wanted Chris Paul to get his first ring this year, great to see a small market team win the title.

ZeppelinPage · Post #156 » by **ZeppelinPage** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 4:18 am

What an incredible performance on both sides of the ball. Wow.

Cavsfansince84 · Post #157 » by **Cavsfansince84** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 4:22 am

Laimbeer wrote:Where would 2020-21 rank in the all-time peaks?

Probably not as high as it would had it coincided with his last two regular seasons but I would think still roughly top 20. Maybe top 15. I think it deserves to be higher than 2019 Kawhi.

RSCD3_ · Post #158 » by **RSCD3_** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 5:03 am

fpliii wrote:Don't want to overreact to one series, but he looked like the best player in the world out there. Maybe KD or Steph can take the crown back next year, but Giannis easily had the best Finals since peak Shaq to me.

As much as I wanted Chris Paul to get his first ring this year, great to see a small market team win the title.

I feel the 8th best player is a lot closer to the first then even 10-15 years ago. KD, Harden, Jokic, James, Embiid, Kawhi, Curry, Giannis. Also are pretty close imo

Post #159 » by **bondom34** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 5:06 am

He's been this good a while now. But what a capper.

falcolombardi · Post #160 » by **falcolombardi** » Wed Jul 21, 2021 5:44 am

RSCD3_ wrote:
fpliii wrote:Don't want to overreact to one series, but he looked like the best player in the world out there. Maybe KD or Steph can take the crown back next year, but Giannis easily had the best Finals since peak Shaq to me.

As much as I wanted Chris Paul to get his first ring this year, great to see a small market team win the title.

I feel the 8th best player is a lot closer to the first then even 10-15 years ago. KD, Harden, Jokic, James, Embiid, Kawhi, Curry, Giannis. Also are pretty close imo

i always say that since 2018 there is no such thingh as a clear or even semi clear best player, and it may take a bit more before a consensus one appears (maybe luka if he keeps improving?)

post warriors basketball has not had a clear hierarchy at all, specially because unlike most dinasties it was a dinasty where the top 2 guys were roughly as good and the team was so stacked neither could be really crowned for winning

warriors with dursnt were like the bad boys pistons on steroids talent wise , not only for being the heel team who beat the biggest star on the league
but for being a mini dinasty despite not having the league best player (only #2 and #3....)

but instead of a best player in the league emerging to dominate after their fall we have got

a goat level player swan song amindst injured years (lebron)
a injuy troubled superstar having a year where he puts it all together team and health wise (kawhi)
and a young superstar finally breaking to the next level in the playoffs