Milwaukee Bucks: 5 reasons they will make the playoffs in 2017-18

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 6: John Henson #31 and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks with their teammates stand for the National Anthem before the preseason game against the Chicago Bulls on October 6, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /

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1. Giannis Antetokounmpo is incredible

The accolades rained on Giannis Antetokounmpo the past year have been seemingly endless. Most Improved Player. All-Defensive Team. All-Star. All-NBA Second Team. He has been called the most versatile player in the league, the next superstar, the heir to LeBron’s throne. And yet, the praise may still fall short of what he can become.

To repeat the same unbelievable statistics that the NBA world has repeated for months, Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Bucks in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks last season. He became the first player in NBA history to finish in the league’s top 20 for each of those five categories. No player in NBA history has ever hit those same thresholds, and only Larry Bird and Hakeem Olajuwon have come exceptionally close.

Far from simply a box-score stuffer, Antetokounmpo drives his teams to victory as well. The fourth-year forward ranked 11th in ESPN’s Real Plus-Minus Wins, 10th in Win Shares and ninth in Box Plus-Minus. Value Over Replacement Player (VORP), saw him as the league’s fourth-best player last season.

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The Milwaukee Bucks are only a playoff team if Giannis Antetokounmpo is an All-Star caliber player. If he becomes an MVP-caliber player, then this team could accomplish far more. But unless Antetokounmpo misses the season with an injury, he will ensure that never again during his prime will this team miss the playoffs. The league’s very best don’t sit home come May.

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