MILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo dan Milwaukee Bucks mengalahkan Luka Doncic dan Dallas Mavericks pada Minggu malam, 124-115, dalam pertarungan terbaru antara dua pemain liga terbaik dan terunik. Meskipun kompetitif di lapangan, kandidat MVP yang berduel saling menghormati kemampuan satu sama lain.
“Menikmati [competing against him] sulit karena saya ingin menang, jadi sulit untuk melawan orang seperti itu,” kata Doncic setelah kekalahan keempat berturut-turut Mavericks. “Dia pemain terbaik di NBA saat ini. Dia hampir mustahil untuk dihentikan. Sangat menyenangkan melihatnya bermain, tetapi tidak menyenangkan untuk melawannya.”
Antetokounmpo selesai dengan 30 poin, 11 rebound dan empat assist pada 11-dari-19 dari lapangan untuk tamasya 30 poin keempat berturut-turut. Ini sudah menjadi rentetan 30 poin keduanya dari setidaknya empat pertandingan musim ini, dan dia rata-rata mencetak 30,9 poin tertinggi dalam karirnya per game bersama dengan 11,4 rebound dan 5,4 assist. Sekarang memasuki musim ke-10 di liga, Orang Yunani Aneh itu tampaknya lebih baik dari sebelumnya.
“Dia meningkat setiap hari,” kata Doncic. “Dia bekerja sangat keras, Anda bisa melihatnya. Dia bekerja dalam segala hal, dia melatih pukulannya dan dia menjadi lebih baik dalam banyak hal. Dia menjadi lebih baik setiap hari.”
Malam harinya, lama setelah Mavericks berangkat ke bandara untuk pulang, MVP dua kali itu naik ke podium untuk konferensi media pascapertandingan, dan senang mendengar apa yang dikatakan Doncic.
“Itu pujian yang bagus dan saya menghargai itu,” kata Antetokounmpo. “Saat Anda bermain melawan pemain terbaik di liga, bisa mengatakan hal seperti itu terasa menyenangkan. Tidak peduli menang atau kalah, hanya dihormati oleh rekan-rekan Anda, itu selalu merupakan perasaan yang baik.”
Pujiannya untuk Doncic, yang mencetak 27 poin, lima rebound, dan 12 assist hanya dalam penampilan kelimanya musim ini dengan kurang dari 30 poin, sama berlebihannya.
“Saya selalu suka bermain melawan pemain terbaik di liga,” kata Antetokounmpo. “Dia adalah pemain yang luar biasa, bakat luar biasa, bisa dibilang salah satu pemain paling berbakat yang pernah saya lihat dalam hidup saya. Sungguh luar biasa apa yang bisa dia lakukan untuk dirinya sendiri dan timnya, dan selalu hebat melawan pemain seperti itu.”
Awal bulan ini, saat tampil di serial YouTube Serge Ibaka, “How Hungry are You?”, Antetokounmpo menyebut Doncic sebagai point guard dalam lima pemain awalnya untuk pertandingan hipotetis antara pemain NBA internasional dan Amerika. Anggota liga lainnya pasti senang bahwa skenario imajiner seperti itu adalah satu-satunya saat kedua superstar ini berada di barisan yang sama.
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