NBA

Giannis Antetokounmpo has 6 career games with 40+ points on 80% shooting or better

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James Foglio
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James Foglio Sports Editor

James is a Basketball Insiders contributor. He earned his bachelor's degree in English and Creative Writing from Southern New Hampshire University. James enjoys watching sports and helping gamblers win money.

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Updated21 Nov 2023

Milwaukee Bucks Giannis Antetokounmpo has 6 career games with 40+ points on 80% shooting or better

Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo has six career games with 40 or more points on 80% shooting or better. Wilt Chamberlain and Adrian Dantley retired with seven games. Antetokounmpo, 28, is in his 11th season.

Amar’e Stoudemire and Shaquille O’Neal recorded three games, followed by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (two). Five other players each logged two — Bernard King, George Gervin, Patrick Ewing, Charles Barkley, and Wayman Tisdale.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has posted two games as well.

Per multiple NBA betting sites, Antetokounmpo has fifth-shortest odds to win MVP this season. Sportsbooks are showing better odds for Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Embiid, and Jayson Tatum.


Through 13 starts of the 2023-24 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo is averaging 30.2 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, 1.0 steal, 1.2 blocks, and 32.7 minutes per game.

The seven-time All-Star is also shooting a career-best 62.1% from the floor, 25.9% beyond the arc, and 61.9% at the foul line. His true shooting percentage of 64.8% is a career high as well.

Adrian Dantley averaged 30.7 points per game on 58% shooting with the Utah Jazz in the 1982-83 season. Likewise, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar tallied 31.7 points per contest on 57.7% shooting with the Bucks in 1970-71.

Needless to say, Antetokounmpo could at least tie the all-time record this season.

Giannis Antetokounmpo could become first NBA player to average 30 PPG in a season on 60% FG

In Milwaukee’s 126-124 loss to the Indiana Pacers on Nov. 9, the 2021 NBA champ recorded a season-high 54 points, 12 rebounds, and three assists in 37 minutes of action.

Antetokounmpo is attempting just 40.3% of his field goals at the rim, the lowest rate in any season of his career. Yet, he still has the best field goal percentage among 25-plus points-per-game scorers.

Moreover, the two-time MVP has the most games (three) with 40 or more points and the most games (six) with at least 35 points. He could become the first player in NBA history to average over 30 points per game on 60% shooting from the field in a season.


According to field-goal percentage statistics, LeBron James leads all other players in the restricted area, shooting 81.7% overall. Antetokounmpo (80.9%) ranks second, followed by Kyle Kuzma (76.1%), Mark Williams (74.4%), and Aaron Gordon (74.2%).

Additionally, the seven-time All-NBA member is the only player with back-to-back 40-point games this season.

“Left block, right block, transition, rim run, off the dribble,” said Antetokounmpo, who put up 42 points and grabbed 13 rebounds in the Bucks’ 142-129 win over the Washington Wizards on Monday.

“Roll, pop — just play random basketball. I think it’s harder to guard, harder for them to load up.”

Furthermore, Antetokounmpo shot 20-of-23 shooting (87%) from the field, the highest mark in a game by a player with at least 20 attempts since Mike Woodson of the Kansas City Kings finished 22-of-24 (91.7%) in a 48-point outing against the Houston Rockets on Feb. 20, 1983.

NBA sportsbooks show the Milwaukee Bucks with second-shortest odds below the Boston Celtics to win this season’s championship. Oddsmakers are still giving decent odds to the Denver Nuggets and Phoenix Suns.