Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo won his showdown with Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid on Tuesday night, and Shaquille O'Neal knows the reason why.

The Bucks edged the Sixers 118-116 in the game, with Giannis exploding for 40 points on top of 14 rebounds and six assists. Even better, the Greek Freak delivered the game-winning block on Embiid to protect their lead with less than two seconds left on the clock.

After the game, Shaq spoke on NBA on TNT and shared what he believes made the difference in the game. For him, Antetokounmpo was “meaner” throughout as he imposed his will and dominance against his fellow MVP candidate.

“The difference between him and Embiid that game? He was a little meaner,” Shaq emphasized.

Shaquille O'Neal is certainly spot on with his assessment. Giannis' clutch block, perhaps, perfectly summarizes the game. The Bucks forward was dominant all night long and showed his tenacity in every possession–leading to that critical play.

Of course that is typical Antetokounmpo for you. He just never gives up on the ball. However, as Shaq mentioned, it made the difference this time around in a crucial MVP battle.

Giannis and Milwaukee are hoping to defend their NBA title this 2021-22, and by the looks of it, they are peaking at the right time as the postseason nears. They improved to 47-28 on the season with the win, climbing to the second seed in the Eastern Conference standings.