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A 2-point, 20-second showing was enough for Giannis Antetokounmpo to keep the All-Star Game record

Giannis Antetokounmpo still owns this All-Star Game record despite a small output in 72nd NBA All-Star Game.
A 2-point, 20-second showing was enough for Giannis Antetokounmpo to keep the All-Star Game record
A 2-point, 20-second showing was enough for Giannis Antetokounmpo to keep the All-Star Game record

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Giannis Antetokounmpo could only produce two points in a very short stint on Sunday night's 72nd NBA All-Star Game.

Luckily for Giannis, the meager production was still enough for him to keep his throne as the all-time All-Star scoring average leader.

All-Star dominator

Antetokounmpo went into the match with 174 All-Star Game points. There was uncertainty whether or not the Greek Freak would play in the All-Star Game after he injured his left wrist in the Milwaukee Bucks' 112-100 win over the Chicago Bulls on Thursday night.

Giannis showed up with a heavily wrapped left wrist during the All-Star Draft, where he chose the composition of Team Giannis as the team captain.

Antetokounmpo would eventually suit up, but after scoring the game's first two points via a soft slam, he immediately committed a foul for him to be subbed out. Had Giannis failed to score a single point, Giannis would have been overtaken by Phoenix Suns' Kevin Durant for the all-time All-Star scoring average leader.

After his seventh All-Star Game appearance that only lasted for 20 seconds, Antetokounmpo is now averaging 25.1 points in All-Star Games, just slightly ahead of Durant's 25.0. Without that dunk over Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia Sixers, Antetokounmpo's All-Star scoring average would have dropped to 24.9.

Finally ending LeBron's dominance

Not only did he keep the distinction, but Antetokounmpo also went home with a sweet victory after Team Giannis defeated Team LeBron 184-175.

It was Giannis' first win against LeBron James in their three All-Star Game meetings in which they served as team captains.

"Winner, winner, chicken dinner," Antetokounmpo said after the win.

Antetokounmpo also did well in the draft, as his decision to bring in Jayson Tatum proved to be a stroke of genius. The Celtics star powered Team Giannis' win by scoring an All-Star Game-record 55 points en route to copping the MVP honors.

"I knew he would take it seriously. It was a no-brainer,” Antetokounmpo said.


Published
Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.