10 NBA things to watch for on Christmas Day
10. Giannis in Madison Square Garden
During Giannis Antetokoumpo’s last trip to Madison Square Garden on Dec. 1, he finished with 33 points on 10-of-17 shooting, 19 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and two blocks in 42 minutes. The Milwaukee Bucks lost to the New York Knicks that night, 136-134.
Think he won’t be out for revenge?
Madison Square Garden has played host to countless legendary performances throughout NBA history, many of which came from members of the opposing team. From Kobe Bryant’s 61-burger in 2009 to Michael Jordan’s double-nickel in 1995, the Knicks have fallen victim to plenty of outrageous scoring outbursts over the years.
The Greek Freak may have next.
The Knicks have the league’s second-worst defense this season, while the Bucks have the top-ranked offense. With head coach Mike Budenholzer at the helm, Antetokounmpo is more deadly than ever. He’s setting career-high marks in field-goal percentage, rebounds and assists per game, and he dropped a season-high 44 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Dec. 14.
The only thing that may limit the Greek Freak’s output on Christmas Day is if the Bucks run out to an insurmountable lead. But if the Knicks can keep the game close heading into the fourth quarter, Giannis may etch his name alongside Kobe, Jordan, LeBron James and Stephen Curry as the latest superstar to single-handedly bury the Knicks in Madison Square Garden with a vintage outing.