Antetokounmpo achieves what only true legends have managed before
"The Greek Freak" continues to dominate: Giannis Antetokounmpo reaches a very special milestone for his Milwaukee Bucks that only three other professionals in NBA history have achieved. Meanwhile, the German Isaiah Hartenstein is working on his future in the DBB team.
Greek basketball superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has reached the next milestone in his career. In his Milwaukee Bucks' 128:119 win over the Houston Rockets in the NBA, the 29-year-old grabbed 17 rebounds and surpassed club record holder Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with a total of 17,165 rebounds.
Antetokounmpo thus joined the exclusive club of legends who lead their team in the categories of points, assists and rebounds. Previously, only icons Michael Jordan with the Chicago Bulls, LeBron James with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Kevin Garnett (Minnesota Timberwolves) had achieved this. "It's a great honor," said Antetokounmpo: "I don't think anyone would have expected the skinny kid from Greece (...) to break Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's record."
However, the two-time MVP was no match for top scorer Damian Lillard on the night. The 33-year-old finished with 39 points, 11 assists and five rebounds, while Antetokounmpo managed 26 points and three assists. "The Greek Freak" equaled Abdul-Jabbar's record with his 14th rebound of the game in the final period with 7:46 minutes left on the clock. Nevertheless, the evening ended painfully for him: he had to be treated for a bleeding cut on his arm. For the Bucks, the second-best team in the Eastern Conference behind the Boston Celtics, it was their 13th home win in a row. Houston lost for the first time after five successes.
On Sunday, shooting stars Franz and Moritz Wagner also lost their second duel in three days with the Orlando Magic against the NBA record champions Boston Celtics. After the 111:128 on Friday, the team led by the German basketball world champions lost 97:114. Both games took place in Boston. Franz Wagner did not have a good day and scored poorly from the field; the 22-year-old ended up with eight points. His older brother Moritz (26) came off the bench, got significantly less playing time and scored six points. The result only became clear in the final quarter.
Hartenstein hopes to make the DBB team
Meanwhile, NBA professional Isaiah Hartenstein has made his interest in the German national basketball team clear, but does not expect to be nominated for the Olympic squad. "I definitely want to play in the future. If I'm invited and I'm fit, then I'll definitely play. But they're doing a good job now, so you can't complain. They've now won gold and probably want to play with the same team again," said the New York Knicks center on the sidelines of the away games in Los Angeles. "I don't think I'll be invited to the Olympics under any circumstances."
He last had contact with national coach Gordon Herbert before the World Cup. "I wasn't invited last year and not this year either. The years before that, I was either injured and didn't play or, when I was still in Houston, they said I should stay there," reported the 25-year-old, whose German father Florian Hartenstein also played in the Bundesliga after his time at college in the USA. Isaiah Hartenstein's mother is American and he was born in Eugene in the US state of Oregon. Hartenstein is having a strong season with the Knicks as a substitute, averaging almost 20 minutes on the court. During this time, he averages six points and six rebounds per game. He recorded twelve points and ten rebounds against the Los Angeles Clippers on Saturday evening (local time). He is playing his sixth NBA season.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo's outstanding performance in the NBA extends his record-breaking streak, making him one of only three players in NBA history, alongside Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kevin Garnett, to lead their teams in points, assists, and rebounds. Meanwhile, Isaiah Hartenstein, who plays in the NBA, expresses his desire to represent Germany in future international competitions but understands his current position does not include a spot in the Olympic squad.
Source: www.ntv.de
