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Three Milwaukee Bucks land in the latest edition of Top-50 player rankings
After bucking a disjointed start where they struggled to find their bearings on both ends of the floor, the Milwaukee Bucks are now clicking, thanks in large part to the play of superstars Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, as well as elite rim protector Brook Lopez. Because of their stellar performances, all three were named to the top 50 of the latest NBA player rankings of Bleacher Report.
Giannis at no. 4
Antetokounmpo's ranking remains the same as the previous edition, but his performances have become more impactful and grandiose. Not only is he making the partnership with Lillard work, but he's also finding ways to dominate despite not having the ball in his hands as often as in previous seasons.
"Since Dec. 6, the Milwaukee Bucks' leading superstar has scored 37 points against the Indiana Pacers, logged 32 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists against the Chicago Bulls, exploded for a franchise-record 64 points in a revenge game against the Pacers, and played highly impactful, efficient basketball in victories over the Detroit Pistons and Houston Rockets," Adam Fromal wrote.
Lillard at no. 17, Brook at no. 50
It may have taken some time, but Lillard feels more comfortable playing with another high-usage player like Giannis. Dame's numbers tell the story; if those numbers hold up, the Bucks' story may have a fairy tale ending in June.
"Since the beginning of December, Damian Lillard is averaging 26.3 points, 7.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals while shooting 46.3 percent from the field, 44.3 percent from downtown (on 8.7 deep tries per game) and 90.0 percent from the stripe (on 7.1 shots per contest). Those are audacious numbers for someone who often shares the floor with Giannis Antetokounmpo," Fromal added.
Meanwhile, Lopez continues to man the shaded lane with aplomb, sending away three shots per game, thereby helping to erase some of the defensive deficiencies the backcourt of Lillard and Malik Beasley has.
