Giannis Antetokounmpo aims to perform with such relentless consistency that it eventually becomes monotonous.
In that respect, the two-time MVP has recently fallen short.
Antetokounmpo scored a career-high 55 points with a series of electrifying dunks and drives as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Washington Wizards 123-113 on Tuesday night, ending the Wizards’ five-game winning streak.
The spectacular forward also tallied 10 rebounds and seven assists, continuing what may be the best stretch of his career.
“I want to get in a position … that my game is boring,” Antetokounmpo said. “I just do what I do and people don’t talk about it because it becomes boring — I do it every single night.
That’s what I want to do. I want other people to feel like my game is boring. But I don’t get bored. The greats — the best players — never get bored. They go out there and they always give their best any given night.”
Antetokounmpo has registered at least 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists in each of the past three games he has played. The two-time MVP sat out a 118-95 loss to the Wizards on Sunday due to a sore left knee.
The only other players in NBA history to achieve three consecutive performances of 40 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists are Elgin Baylor in 1961 and 1963, Wilt Chamberlain in 1963, and Russell Westbrook in 2016.
Giannis Antetokounmpo (Credits: Morry Gash)
The only other Bucks players to score at least 40 points in three straight appearances are Flynn Robinson in February 1969 and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in February 1972.
“He’s been kind of playing with this kind of determination, this kind of just willing us in games,” Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer said. “Tonight we were able to win it. He’s just been phenomenal.”
Bucks center Brook Lopez, now in his fifth season playing alongside Antetokounmpo, couldn’t recall a regular-season stretch where Antetokounmpo has played better.
“He’s just constantly improving,” said Lopez, who had 21 points and 12 rebounds. “When you think where else can he go and how else can he improve, he just improves again.
We’re going to have to expand the English language in some way to come up with words [to describe him]. I don’t know if I’ve said that before, but I’m sure he’s going to improve again. Who knows what he’s going to do next. He’s just so otherworldly.”
Antetokounmpo’s previous career high was a 52-point effort against the Philadelphia 76ers on March 17, 2019. He just missed the single-game franchise scoring record held by Michael Redd, who scored 57 points against the Utah Jazz in November 2006.
Washington’s Bradley Beal returned after missing three games with a sore left hamstring, but he played just 13 minutes. Beal scored eight points before the hamstring issue prevented him from playing in the second half.
“Same area,” Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. said. “We just have to get it evaluated.”
Kristaps Porzingis scored 22 points for the Wizards, and Kyle Kuzma added 20.
Milwaukee’s Bobby Portis had 17 points and 13 rebounds.
Milwaukee’s Jrue Holiday returned to action after missing three games with a non-COVID illness and scored six points in 19 minutes. Bucks forward Khris Middleton missed an eighth straight game with a sore right knee and also won’t play Wednesday at Toronto.
