Anyone leaving Giannis Antetokounmpo out of the mid-season MVP discussions is doing it wrong.
As evidence, Antetokounmpo put up 43 points, 20 rebounds and five assists against the Timberwolves on Friday. That echoed his 45-point, 22-rebound, seven-assist game against the Bulls a couple of nights earlier.
43 PTS
— NBA (@NBA) December 31, 2022
20 REB
5 AST@Giannis_An34 is the first player to drop back-to-back 40/20 games since 1982. pic.twitter.com/m1WT6xUjPu
The last player with back-to-back 40/20 games was Wilt Chamberlain, and the only other player to do it was Elgin Baylor. Antetokounmpo has had 40+ points in four of his last six games.
“It’s a great compliment to be around those guys,” said Antetokounmpo, via the Associated Press. “I just want to win games so I just tried to go out there and do whatever I can to push myself to the limit.”
The Bucks are 23-12 on the season and sit tied for second in the East with the Nets (winners of 11 straight), just behind the Celtics in a stacked top of the conference.