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- The Milwaukee Bucks clinched their first NBA title in 50 years.
- MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo put up 50 points and 14 rebounds.
- The 26-year-old took shots at superteams during his postgame press conference.
On Tuesday night, the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Phoenix Suns 105 to 98, securing the franchise’s first NBA title since 1971.
The Bucks certainly didn’t do it the easy way as they found themselves trailing in three consecutive series: they were behind 2-0 to the Suns in the finals, 1-0 to the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference Finals, and 2-0 to the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference. Nevertheless, the Bucks overcame to become worthy NBA Champions.
Plus, if you ask Giannis himself, he certainly doesn’t mind doing things the hard way, as he said exactly that during his postgame press conference while also taking shots at the superteams that have formed over the last decade or so.
“Obviously, I wanted to get the job done… It’s easy to go somewhere and win a championship with somebody else. It’s easy. I could go to a superteam and just my part and win a championship, but this is the hard way to do and we did it.”
"It's easy to go somewhere and win a championship with somebody else … this is the hard way to do and we did it."
Giannis Antetokounmpo talks the talk after winning it all #NBATwitter pic.twitter.com/xoUJnmgIA3
— CBS Sports HQ (@CBSSportsHQ) July 21, 2021
This is, obviously, a shot at the likes of Kevin Durant and LeBron James, who went to another franchise with a previously established star in order to win their first NBA Championship (LeBron with the Miami Heat in 2012 and Kevin Durant with the Golden State Warriors in 2017).
To put Giannis’ achievement in further perspective: LeBron James didn’t win his first ring — a ring he won with the help of two future Hall of Famers — until he was 28-years-old. Giannis is still just 26 and has, *at least*, another 7ish years of his prime ahead of him. Insane.