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MILWAUKEE BUCKS GIANNIS ANTETOKOUNMPO:-
Milwaukee Bucks star player Giannis Antetokounmpo added another feather on his cap when Giannis has identified the best NBA defensive player of 2019-20 for his excellent defensive performance throughout the year.
The announcement was formally done on TNT’s “Inside the NBA,” where host Ernie Johnson has given the opportunity to the Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer to present the award on for defensive player of the year to Antetokounmpo.
Atetokounmpo responded with thanking God, his family, Budenholzer, and his teammates who are part of the process.
Antetokounmpo added, “this award and recognition wouldn’t be possible Without my teammates” I know that I have got my name on the trophy, but it could be any of these guys’. I believe that defense need team effort and trust. We trust one another, we care about one another, we believe in one another – that’s why we’re the best defensive team in the NBA and we’re gonna keep it that way.”
Antetokounmpo was announced NBA Defensive Player of the Year on Tuesday, becoming the only fifth player to win that award and MVP in an NBA career.
Utah Jazz Rudy Gobert who was the MVP for the last Nba season and a firm favorite this year unable to win it as it was handed over to Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Antetokounmpo further added, “Coach was so excited, he was so happy,”. “He told me I won Defensive Player of the Year. He jumped on the table.”
Antetokounmpo received 75 first-place votes compared to the other competitors.100 sportswriters and broadcasters voted for it and Antetokounmpo finished with 432 points. Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis came second with 200 points and Gobert 187 points came third in the voting process.
Antetokounmpo joined the elite club with players like Michael Jordan, Hakeem Olajuwon, David Robinson, and Kevin Garnett who have won the MVP-Defensive Player of the Year twice in their career. Antetokounmpo was also the runner-up for the defensive award last year which he lost it against Rudy Gobert.
Budenholzer added about Giannis Antetokounmpo “His dedication to defense, his engagement to winning, his involvement to doing everything is beyond incredible,”. “His impact on the game is unimaginable with blocked shots and rebounds, guarding all five positions, chasing down blocks, close-outs, communicating. He does everything defensively — literally everything. This award is representative of that.”
Milwaukee allowed only 96.5 points per 100 possessions with Antetokounmpo’s presence on a game.
Antetokounmpo added “If you win and you take care of business, awards can come. We’ve had the best defensive team in the league. We have the best defense in the league,”
“At the end of the day, the most important thing is to win the game for the team, you have to do everything that you could, give everything that you have on the field and put your team in position to win and good things are going to happen and everything is going to take care of itself.”
Antetokounmpo also created a new record by winning the NBA defensive player of the year. He became the first Bucks player to win Defensive Player of the Year since Sidney Moncrief, who has claimed the award in the first two consecutive seasons in 1982-83 and 1983-84.
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