The Milwaukee Bucks saw their chances to beat out a stacked Philadelphia 76ers roster dwindle after point guard Eric Bledsoe was ejected in the opening minutes or the first quarter after getting into a dodgeball fight with Sixers big man Joel Embiid. Giannis Antetokounmpo, the team's all-around leader, took on the task of keeping himself and his teammates under control — never panicking despite knowing the long road ahead without their starting point guard in the game.
The result? A 45-point, 12-rebound, six-assist, five-block masterpiece to give the Bucks a show-stopping 128-122 road win against one of their potential playoff matchups down the road.
“I was just trying to be confident,” Antetokounmpo told ESPN's Tim Bontemps after the game. “The most important thing is that your teammates see that you're confident. Even when Bledsoe, one of our star players, and one of our most important pieces, is out, they don't see you lose your composure and just give up and they see you're confident, everybody gets confidence.
“It's all about how you walk into the room. Because everything I do, my teammates are looking at me. So I try to be the best example for them, be a leader and when I go out there just not second-guessing.”
Leading by example is very much how Antetokounmpo has built his credibility with the rest of his peers, already a likable star, but now also equally accountable.
Antetokounmpo shot a studly 13-of-22 from the floor, including 3-of-7 from deep and 16-of-21 from the foul line, showing the entire package without committing a single turnover through his 35 minutes of floor time.
“That's kind of how he's built,” said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer. “To play against the best, and compete, and just lay it all on the line.
“That's kind of how he's built, is what I'd say.”
This perhaps rings as Antetokounmpo's biggest performance as the race for Most Valuable Player comes to a close within the next week.
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