Giannis Antetokounmpo saw Khris Middleton go down with an injury in Game 3 of their series against the Chicago Bulls. However, they rebounded with a dominant performance in a 119-95 win in Game 4 to take a 3-1 series lead.
The performance was exceptional, especially from the perspective of one Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis did everything on the night, playing as a two-way force the Bulls had no answer for. He ended up with a stat line of 32 points, 17 rebounds, and 7 assists, his 12th 30-10-5 game in the playoffs.
Giannis is third all-time in this statistical feat, trailing only Larry Bird and LeBron James. However, Giannis just trails Bird by 5 games but is 36 games behind LeBron. Antetokounmpo’s total can be quadrupled and it would still just be tied with James, showing how his playoff longevity is incredible.
Sheesh
(@_Talkin_NBA ) pic.twitter.com/fEHRB3Fu6g
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) April 24, 2022
Giannis is on the path of being as dominant as James was in his prime. However, will he be able to match the same longevity? Antetokounmpo will turn 28 this year and will end his 9th season in the league. Considering LeBron has 10 years of experience that Giannis doesn’t have, it will be interesting to see if Giannis can overcome this throughout his career.
These statistics are never the final story for these players. Antetokounmpo will be defined by the championships he wins not the number of 30-10-5 games he had in his playoff career. But it does show how dominant he has been in his playoff career.
Longevity like the kind LeBron has is another defining feature of a player’s career. The basketball community will be rooting for years of good health for Giannis so he can replicate that longevity and possibly be an MVP level player 10 years from now as well. If he can do so, there will be a guaranteed seat for him at the pantheon of NBA legends.
