Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from Game 3 crusher vs. Raptors

1. Giannis shows he is, in fact, mortal

Giannis Antetokounmpo has spent the entire postseason treating each opponent like his own personal practice session. Prior to Game 3, the Greek Freak was averaging a ridiculous 27.4 points, 12.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals per game.

Blessed with teammates who finally bring out the best in him, Antetokounmpo was as unstoppable a force on his way to the bucket as there is in the NBA today. It seemed like no matter what defense was thrown at him, Giannis would find a way either through it or around it.

Overall, his stat line in the Game 3 loss could’ve been a lot worse. Antetokounmpo managed to pull down 23 rebounds and dish out seven assists. Unfortunately, he also scored just 12 points on 5-of-16 shooting, turned the ball over eight times and fouled out with 4:24 remaining in the second overtime.

The 12 points he scored represented his fewest point total since way back in mid-January. The turnovers were the most registered so far in these playoffs, while the 31.2 percent field goal percentage also hit a new postseason low.

In terms of the big picture, this game should serve as no more than a blip on what has been a dominant radar. Even the greatest legends of the game have had off nights on some of the biggest stages. Giannis will likely bounce back with a heightened level of aggression and an attack mentality right from the jump.

If anything, the Bucks should be encouraged by their overall performance in spite of Antetokounmpo’s underwhelming play. Most teams crumble at the first sign of mortality from their superstar. Milwaukee rose to the challenge and nearly accomplished a tremendous feat, putting itself in a terrific mental state of mind for the all-important Game 4 on Tuesday evening.