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“I am not Michael Jordan”: Giannis Antetokounmpo rejects any comparisons to the ‘GOAT’ following another 40-point explosion in the Bucks Game 3 win against Chris Paul and the Suns

Samir Mehdi
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“I am not Michael Jordan”: Giannis Antetokounmpo rejects any comparisons to the ‘GOAT’ following another 40-point explosion in the Bucks Game 3 win against Chris Paul and the Suns

Giannis Antetokounmpo repeatedly claims that he’s not Michael Jordan after being told of an NBA Finals record that Jordan still holds. 

It seems as though Giannis Antetokounmpo is deadset on entering the record books in his first NBA Finals appearance. Though the Milwaukee Bucks are down 2-1, Giannis has inserted his name into conversations that have the likes of Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Shaquille O’Neal in them. 

In Game 2, Giannis dropped 42 points in a loss to Devin Booker and the Suns. 20 of his 42 points came in the 3rd quarter and this was the most amount of points scored in the 3rd quarter of a Finals game since Michael Jordan had 22 against the Charles Barkley-led Phoenix Suns in 1993.

Also read: “Chris Paul has lost 11 consecutive games with Scott Foster refereeing”: Suns superstar has disproportionately bad record in games reffed by senior NBA referee for Finals Game 3 vs Bucks

The ‘Greek Freak’ is now averaging 34.3 and 14 while shooting 62.5% from the field in three NBA Finals games. Giannis Antetokounmpo has made it a mission to let it be known that he’s very much the Batman of the name, despite the Robin comparisons. His stellar play seems to have brought him into the conversation with one, Chicago Bulls legend. 

Giannis Antetokounmpo dismisses any comparison to Michael Jordan during Game 3 win. 

Game 3 saw Giannis do what merely 6 other players in NBA history have done. Only LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, John Havilcek, Jerry West, and Magic Johnson have had 40+ point, 10+ rebound, and 5+ assist games in the Finals.  

When told about how Jordan had four straight 40-point games in an NBA Finals against the Suns back in 1993, Giannis quickly dismissed the comparison by repeatedly saying that he was not Michael Jordan.

Also read: “Milwaukee, pull up”: Bobby Portis implores Bucks fans to get behind their team like never before in Players Tribune article ahead of NBA Finals Game 3

In all fairness, nobody is or ever will be Michael Jordan. However, with the way Giannis is playing, it doesn’t seem like he’s going to stop his scoring tirade anytime soon. With the Milwaukee Bucks hosting Game 4 as well, Chris Paul and company better hope that they get a 3-1 lead. 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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