Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways from 93-85 win over Charlotte Hornets

Giannis’ new watermark

On a day where the Bucks didn’t have much of anything going on, superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo was there to save the day with a dominant performance that’s been in line with his 2019-20 season.

Seeing the floor for nearly 35 minutes, Antetokounmpo finished with 41 points on 17-of-28 shooting from the field (1-for-4 from downtown, 6-for-7 from the foul line), 20 rebounds, six assists, three turnovers, one steal and was a +22 on the day.

The reigning MVP absolutely ran through all Hornets defenders on his way to the cup and showing off a variety of power and dexterity finishing at the basket. Antetokounmpo accounted for 28 of the Bucks’ 50 points in the paint, per NBA.com/stats.

When he wasn’t spinning and throwing down slam dunks at the basket, Antetokounmpo was very willing to show off his in-between game and range shooting. And the 25-year-old continues to show off his smooth jumpshot in those situations.

On a day when the Bucks were without All-Star swingman Khris Middleton, who missed a second straight game with neck soreness, Antetokounmpo’s overall influence was sorely needed for a Bucks team that was lacking direction without him on the floor. The Bucks were a -14 in the 13 minutes without Antetokounmpo.

And as the Bucks struggled to fend off the Hornets for much of the day, Antetokounmpo showed them their way to victory.