Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo is playing decidedly non-MVP basketball in Milwaukee's second game against the Nets.
Brooklyn jumped out to a 65-41 halftime lead in Monday's game, led by a 21-point effort from Kevin Durant. Antetokounmpo, meanwhile, scored a measly six points off 3-of-8 shooting in 18 minutes played during the first half — good for fourth among starters. Even Bryn Forbes, coming off the bench, had more points (seven) than the defending NBA MVP.
The Nets are among the favorites to make the NBA Finals in 2021, but it still is absurd to watch a team, without James Harden, completely dismantle Antetokounmpo and the Bucks. Especially in what amounts to a must-win game for Milwaukee, already down 1-0 in the series.
MORE: How long is James Harden out? Injury timeline, return date, latest updates on Nets guard
Unfortunately for Bucks fans, it was evident early Antetokounmpo would be in for a long day early in the first quarter, as Durant put the moves on him to give Brooklyn an early 12-7 lead:
KD put the moves on Giannis 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ZQprJFZuLb
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 8, 2021
Then, Kyrie Irving stopped on a dime, in transition, to send Antetokounmpo flying by in futility.
Kyrie stops on a DIME 😮 pic.twitter.com/NP17tyFVKB
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 8, 2021
Following that, Blake Griffin posterized the Greek Freak to give Brooklyn a 52-31 lead:
OMG BLAKE 🤯 pic.twitter.com/TMYlRwMKsD
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) June 8, 2021
Not great for the Milwaukee faithful. And there's still an entire half left to play. Naturally, Twitter had a calm, measured response to Antetokounmpo's poor outing (this is sarcasm, by the way). The mercurial social media outlet absolutely roasted Antetokounmpo as well as Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer:
Giannis: *makes any move with the ball*
— #RingerNBA (@ringernba) June 8, 2021
The Nets: pic.twitter.com/xBvl7tABno
A picture of what KD and Kyrie are doing to Giannis pic.twitter.com/pN810ejhM1
— Aboubakar (@henry_mwelwa04) June 8, 2021
Giannis pull-up 3s with 18 seconds on the shot clock should not be a thing.
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 8, 2021
“Nets don’t play defense Giannis will average 50” pic.twitter.com/tgKYqQVJLL
— ROAD TO 16-1 (5-1) (@DepressedNets) June 8, 2021
Nick Wright said Jokic was the worst MVP of the last 40 years only for it to turn out to be Giannis all along pic.twitter.com/WIme7Tq8L6
— MK (@MKSmith_CY) June 8, 2021
Giannis being incapable of dominating and swinging a playoff series against the best teams deserves DEEP discussion.
— Roosh (@RooshWilliams) June 8, 2021
Giannis out here like... pic.twitter.com/8sSPJ2JFP6
— Bee_Lee313 (@BeeLee313) June 8, 2021
Pistons fans when Griffin posterized Giannis pic.twitter.com/EJ0Quakz8o
— NBA Memes (@NBAMemes) June 8, 2021
“But this year I played Giannis 37 minutes in the playoffs instead of 32” pic.twitter.com/m7UOa6wlNv
— MKG (@MKGRDC) June 8, 2021
When giannis claims both fraudulent MVP trophies he stole pic.twitter.com/uwVvadrKKz
— Playoff LebronJamesHarden™️ (@LBJamesHarden) June 8, 2021
Jrue has 10 points
— IKE Bucks Podcast (@IKE_Bucks) June 8, 2021
Middleton has 8 points
Giannis has 6 points
They make a combined $83,240,000
CITY OF MILWAUKEE: "swear to god if Bud doesn't put Antetokounmpo back in the game before this becomes a blowout again we are going to raise hell."
— Rob Perez (@WorldWideWob) June 8, 2021
COACH BUD: "Your feedback has been heard. Thanasis, get in there."
Coach Bud has never been able to win in the playoffs.
— IKE Bucks Podcast (@IKE_Bucks) June 8, 2021
at this rate coach bud is gonna have his roller bag next to him on the sidelines for game 4
— jason c. (@netw3rk) June 8, 2021
A look at coach Bud’s huddles rn. pic.twitter.com/PJ1DUT76An
— theScore Bet (@theScoreBet) June 8, 2021
