3 reasons Giannis Antetokounmpo should win his third MVP this season
By Max Griffith
Heading into the home stretch of the 2021-2022 season the race for the KIA NBA MVP is still a barnburner, to say the least. Between the incredible seasons of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, and more, the NBA fans have been gifted with witnessing some phenomenal individual performances all season long. At this point, the three frontrunners for the award are Jokic, Embiid, and Antetokounmpo. The Milwaukee Bucks’ forward faces stiff competition.
Embiid averages 29.9 points, 11.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game this year. In the last two seasons, Embiid has made the jump to superstar, thus putting himself in the MVP conversation for two consecutive years. The reigning MVP Nikola Jokic is averaging 26 points, 13.8 rebounds, and 8.1 assists per game. Jokic has been on fire down the stretch as he tries to claim his second MVP.
Antetokounmpo puts up 29.7 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game while he is also the frontrunner for Defensive Player of the Year for most, which adds to his MVP case. Receiving this year’s MVP would make Giannis Antetokounmpo the ninth player in history to rack up three MVP awards. The way he plays night in and night out on both ends of the ball should certainly give him the top spot for the award. With that said, there are three main reasons Antetokounmpo should be the 2021-22 MVP, and let’s get into it!
No. 1 – Giannis Antetokounmpo is consistent on both ends of the floor
Out of the three top candidates for MVP, Giannis blows away the competition when it comes to defense. The way Giannis affects the game as a help defender becomes a nightmare for opposing teams.
With Brook Lopez being out for the majority of this season, Giannis has had to adapt and play a lot more minutes at the center for Milwaukee, which takes him out of his natural position defensively. No one player has had to adapt like Giannis has and still be able to maintain the same success on the defensive end. That alone makes him the frontrunner for defensive player of the year.
Now we take a deep dive into some offensive numbers for Antetokounmpo that solidifies his run for MVP even more. If you look at Giannis’ per 36 numbers, you will realize Giannis does not play as many minutes as most superstars in the league. He plays 32.8 minutes per game and still is able to put up the stats he does night in and night out. Antetokounmpo’s per 36 stats are 32.6 points, 6.5 assists, and 12.6 rebounds per game. That goes to show the average NBA fan what Antetokounmpo’s numbers would be like if he played just a few minutes more a game.
No matter the minutes Giannis gets he will definitely give you efficiency and a formula for winning basketball. Putting up 29.7 points per game in 32 minutes is absurd, not to mention he shoots just a tick under 55 percent from the field. All of this success and Antetokounmpo is only 61st in the league in minutes per game! The story tells itself here.