When the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks faced off, the focus was on the individual excellence of Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo — two projected candidates to be serious contenders for the MVP award this season.
Antetokounmpo’s Bucks team won 124-115, and his 30 points and 11 rebounds went a long way in deciding the outcome. Doncic put up 27 points and 12 assists in what was a strong outing for him, but ultimately, the team’s first-half defense, allowing 70 points at halftime, was too much to overcome.
After the game, Doncic was asked about Antetokounmpo and described him as being “the best player in the NBA” and described him as “impossible to stop.”
“It’s hard because I want to win, so it’s hard to go against a guy like that,” Doncic said after the game, “He’s the best player in the NBA right now. He’s almost impossible to stop. It’s really fun to see him play, but it’s not that fun to go against him.”
Antetokounmpo was asked about Doncic’s comment describing him as the best player in the NBA. The Bucks superstar appreciated receiving respect from one of the best talents in the league.
“That’s a great compliment. I appreciate it,” Antetokounmpo said when asked about Doncic’s compliment. “When you play against the best players in the league, being able to say something like that. It feels good. No matter wins or losses, just being respected by your peers, it’s always a good feeling.”
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“I always love playing against the best players in the league. He is an incredible player, incredible talent, arguably one of the most talented players I’ve ever seen in my lifetime. It’s unbelievable what he can do for himself and his team,” added Antetokounmpo, “It’s always great going against players like that.”
Part of what makes Antetokounmpo such an impressive player from Doncic’s perspective is the continued development he’s shown in his game. Much of the focus has been on his jump shot, but “The Greek Freak” has continued to add layers to his game.
“He improves every day. He works really hard, you can see it,” said the Mavericks leader in more praise for his counterpart on the Bucks, “He works on everything. He works on his shot, and he’s gotten better at a lot of things. He just gets better every day.”
With the way the season is trending, the Mavs will need to turn things around in a hurry in the win column to maximize Doncic’s MVP candidacy. Antetokounmpo’s Bucks are 14-5 and trail only the Boston Celtics in the league standings.
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