NBA: A third MVP for Antetokounmpo in four years would be very boring, but if he deserves it, what are we going to do to him?

HThere was a time when the NBA, in its eagerness to open up the league to continue selling the product better than anyone else, I decided to democratize an award like the MVP of the season and not give all the value to who has been the best player of a season. It happened to LeBron James when he saw Derrick Rose interrupt his reign in 2011 and it can happen again Giannis Antetokounmpo this season in which the names of Nikola Jokic o Joel Embiid to take the crown. Two legitimate candidates, but they have not had a better season than the Greek. But it would be very boring to give him a third MVP in four years.

The numbers support the Hellenic candidacy. He has the same points as the 76ers pvot (1,853 in 62 games with an average of 29.9) and 3.6 ms than Jokic. Is he fifth rebounder (11.6 sacks per game) of the championship two rebounds from the Serbian pvot of the Nuggets and surpassing Embiid. Is second in efficiency behind the Balkan and outperforms both inside players in blocks per game. In addition, he has the Bucks, whom he already made champions last season, with better balance than the Nuggets (Jokic does enough with the wicks he has) and the 76ers. But of course, it would not look good to give him a third MVP in four years.

The Greek, in addition, always appears at times when the appearance of a crack is demanded to decide matches and he demonstrated it again against the Pennsylvania franchise in a match that has served for Anteto to hit the table. Another one. The Hellenic forward knocked down one of the roosters from the East with 40 points (16 of 24 from the field), 14 rebounds, six assists and a decisive block on Embiid with 1.6 seconds remaining. Is his seventh game away from home exceeding 30 points and with more than 50% shooting from the fielda streak that is only surpassed by Wilt Chamberlain (9) in 1961. But of course, it is not appropriate to give him a third MVP in four years.

This is what makes a product of such quality that we easily get used to them and soon forget their true value and even underestimate their real dimension. And something like that happens to us with an Antetokounmpo that we often ignore (“No one cares about us, no one cares about us,” he said a few weeks ago) because we turn the extraordinary into the usual. And it shouldn’t be.

More than three months after his last match, Paul George came back in style from his elbow injury and scored 34 points in the splendid comeback of Los Angeles Clippers against the Utah Jazz (121-115). George was the savior of these Clippers who had lost five games in a row; scored 20 points in a sensational third quarter, and also added 2 rebounds, 6 assists and 5 steals in 31 minutes.

that’s what it feels like Kevin Durant when he sees the uniform of the Detroit Pistons. At least this season. The eave adds 92 points in their last two games against the Michigan franchise: 51 in December and 41 in his last duelto which he added 11 rebounds to keep the Nets hopeful of avoiding the play-in.

Another night of mixed feelings for Juancho Hernangmez. Spanish has established itself in the Quin Snyder’s quintet in these last games of the regular season and he is responding with numbers like he did against the Clippers. The Spanish signed 13 points (five of six shooting from the field with three of four from 3-point range), grabbed six rebounds and put up a blockerbut it was not enough to get the victory against the recital of Paul George. For your part Serge Ibaka It barely had any bearing on the Bucks’ victory over the 76ers and ended with a rebound and an assist in three minutes.

DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls they have taken a breath of air after several consecutive defeats. Those from Illinois prevailed over the Wizards (94-107) in a match in which the guard shone again with his own light, who signed 32 points and stays like him second player in Bulls history with the most games over 30 points in a season, second only to a certain Michael Jordan.

Los Angeles Lakers they continue with their particular sinking and before the Dallas Mavericks they lost their place in the ‘play-in’ after a first part for oblivion. The night was a nightmare for some Lakers, who lost at halftime due to a scandalous 82-56. You have to go back to February 27, 1959, when the Boston Celtics beat the Minneapolis Lakers 173-139, to find another game in which the Los Angeles team had conceded so many points in the first half. So, the Bostonians they made 83 in the first half.