Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo boldly said that Sunday’s victory over the Brooklyn Nets doesn’t mean anything. This was a surprise to many, especially after the two-time MVP put on an outstanding performance of 49 points, eight rebounds and four assists. 

Despite Kevin Durant’s 42 points, the Bucks showed on Sunday that they can keep up with the Nets. It’s difficult to guard KD, arguably the best scorer in the league today, but Antetokounmpo did his assignment well. Several players also stepped up for the Bucks, specifically Jrue Holiday (18 points and five rebounds) and Khris Middleton (26 points and 11 rebounds).

The Bucks also got key contributions from PJ Tucker, especially on the defensive end. Giannis Antetokounmpo and his team held Kyrie Irving to only 20 points—a low-scoring night given how good Kyrie is. Milwaukee was also able to capitalize in the front court as Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan couldn’t stop Antetokounmpo. 

The caveat in this game is that James Harden did not suit up for the Nets. Because of this, it’s difficult to really assess how both teams match up. Perhaps this is why Antetokounmpo might have said the game doesn’t mean anything. It’s hard to take away anything when another high-impact superstar isn't on the court. 

The Bucks will see the Nets again on Tuesday, and it’ll probably be another game that doesn’t mean anything for Antetokounmpo. If there’s one thing that could be affected from this game however, it’s where these two teams sit on the standings. Brooklyn dropped to second place in the Eastern Conference, while Milwaukee remains at third.