Giannis Antetokounmpo under the spotlight after Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers calls out the NBA

The Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Dallas Mavericks 137-107 on Wednesday night at Fiserv Forum. Giannis Antetokounmpo played a key role in the victory, earning significant praise from head coach Doc Rivers, who took the opportunity to send a strong message to the rest of the NBA.

“Giannis’ numbers, it’s almost like he’s a forgotten great player in the league,” Rivers remarked during the postgame press conference, in a video shared by ESPN on X. “I hear about everybody else, and I don’t hear enough about what Giannis is doing.”

The Milwaukee coach then highlighted the enormous impact Antetokounmpo has had all season long. “You put his numbers up against anybody in the league this year; you really can’t. Then we factor in that he plays on both sides of the ball as well,” Doc continued. “He’s having a career year, and in some ways, I feel it’s going unnoticed.”

Giannis played just 25 minutes in the win against Dallas, but that was enough for him to contribute 32 points, 15 rebounds, and 4 assists—impressive numbers that reaffirm what he has done all season. The Greek forward has been, along with Damian Lillard, a key figure in the Bucks’ strong performance, with the team sitting fourth in the Eastern Conference with a 36-25 record.

Head coach Doc Rivers of the Milwaukee Bucks directs his players in the first half against the New York Knicks on November 08, 2024.

Antetokounmpo ranks second in the NBA in scoring this season, averaging 30.8 points per game—only behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma City Thunder, who averages 32.8. Additionally, the Bucks star grabs 12.1 rebounds (fifth in the league) and dishes out 5.9 assists.

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Doc Rivers’ unexpected comparison

Reflecting on how little attention the league seems to pay to Giannis Antetokounmpo’s consistent excellence, Doc Rivers made an unusual comparison. “To me, he’s like Groundhog Day,” the coach said. “He does it every day, the same thing. And I think at times, we do take it for granted. And we really shouldn’t.”

Rivers was referring to the iconic 1993 film, in which Bill Murray plays a television weatherman stuck in a time loop, forced to relive the same day over and over again while everyone around him remains oblivious.

Giannis sets an NBA record and eyes more milestones

During the win against the Dallas Mavericks, Giannis surpassed the 20,000-point mark in the NBA, becoming the 52nd player in history to do so. Moreover, only five players reached the milestone at a younger age than Antetokounmpo (30 years old). These players are Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Durant, LeBron James, and Wilt Chamberlain.

All of these stars eventually reached the 30,000-point mark, and that is now Antetokounmpo’s next goal. “For sure, 100% I’m going to get there,” Giannis said after the game, according to ClutchPoints. “I don’t know how I’ll do it, but I’m gonna show up every single day and I’m gonna do it.”