Giannis Antetokounmpo is an NBA champion. The Milwaukee Bucks are NBA champions.
In a historic performance worthy of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who last led the Bucks to a title in 1971, Antetokounmpo scored 33 of his 50 points after halftime of Game 6 to beat the Phoenix Suns, 105-98.
Antetokounmpo marked one of the great Finals performances in NBA history with 16-of-25 field goals, 17-of-19 free throws, 14 rebounds and five blocks in 42 minutes. After losing the first two games of the series, Milwaukee won four straight. Antetokounmpo scored 41 points in Game 3, secured Game 4 with an iconic game-saving block, clinched Game 5 with a legendary alley-oop dunk and dropped a 50-spot in Game 6.
Finals MVP recipients do not get more obvious.
The company 26-year-old Antetokounmpo keeps is already few. The two-time regular-season MVP and 2020 Defensive Player of the Year added the award named in Bill Russell's honor to his growing list of accolades.
"I hope I give people around the world, from Africa, from Europe, give them hope that it can be done. It can be done," Antetokounmpo added in his postgame interview, clutching the championship and Finals MVP trophies. "Eight and a half years ago, when I came into the league, I didn't know where my next meal would come from. My mom was selling stuff in the street. And now I'm here, sitting on the top of the top. That's why I'm extremely blessed. Even if I never have a chance to sit at this table ever again, I'm fine with it."
In lieu of entering free agency this summer, Antetokounmpo signed a $228 million supermax extension in Milwaukee prior to the season, pledging to deliver a title to the team that drafted him. He bucked the player movement trend toward superstar pairings and delivered, forging his own path to set a standard for his peers to admire.
米プロバスケットボール協会（ＮＢＡ）は２０日、王者を決めるファイナル（７回戦制）の第６戦がミルウォーキーで行われ、東カンファレンス覇者の地元バックスが、西を制したサンズを１０５―９８で破って４勝２敗とし、１９７１年以来、５０年ぶり２度目のリーグ制覇を遂げた。
一進一退の展開の中、７７―７７で第４クオーターを迎え、バックスはＧ・アデトクンボと、東京五輪米国代表のミドルトンを中心に得点を重ねて、粘るサンズを振り切った。Ｇ・アデトクンボは５０得点、１４リバウンド、５ブロックの大活躍でファイナルの最優秀選手（ＭＶＰ）に輝いた。
２連敗の後、４連勝で頂点に上り詰めたバックス。３試合で４０得点以上をマークしたＧ・アデトクンボが試合後のインタビューで、「ミルウォーキーで決めたかったのでうれしい。自分を信じてくれたこの街に感謝したい」と声を弾ませると、会場が歓喜に包まれた。
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