NBA Player Power Rankings: MVP Candidates Continue To Clash
8. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
Position: Small Forward
Age: 22 (12/6/1994)
Experience: 4th Season
2016-17 Slash Line: .538/.284/.783
2016-17 Season Averages: 34.8 MPG, 23.7 PPG, 8.7 RPG, 1.9 ORPG, 5.6 APG, 2.1 BPG, 1.8 SPG, 0.7 3PM
Giannis Antetokounmpo is as valuable to his team’s success as any player in the NBA. The Milwaukee Bucks may be a game below .500 at 20-21, but Antetokounmpo is the last player to blame for that reality.
The only perspective necessary is the fact that Antetokounmpo leads Milwaukee in points, rebounds, offensive rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals per game.
Antetokounmpo is the only player in the NBA leading his team in points, rebounds, assists, blocks, and steals per game. Thus, while Milwaukee may be 20-21, it’s still just 0.5 game back of the No. 7 seed in the Eastern Conference.
In the Bucks’ lone win from this past week, Antetokounmpo steadied the pace with 19 points, eight rebounds, six assists, one block, and one steal on 8-of-12 shooting in a win over the Miami Heat.
Thank you so much to all of the fans! I'm so grateful for this opportunity to start in the NBA All Star Game! Now let's get that W tomorrow!
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) January 20, 2017
Further perspective on Antetokounmpo’s value is how poorly the Bucks have played without him. Milwaukee has net ratings of +3.9 with Antetokoumpo on the court and -3.8 when he isn’t—a difference of 7.7 points per 100 possessions.
With games of 33 points, eight rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and two steals, and 32 points, 11 rebounds, six assists, three blocks, and one steal, Antetokounmpo maintained his Top 10 status this past week.