The surging Milwaukee Bucks dominated the Dallas Mavericks on Wednesday night, securing an easy 137-107 victory and extending their winning streak to four games.
The Bucks this NBA season have had their share of ups and downs, but as of late, they've been on an upswing. With a 36-25 record and an impressive 8-2 run in their last 10 games, they're aiming to catch the New York Knicks for the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference, currently holding the No. 4 spot.
As per usual for this team, the 30-year-old star Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with a standout performance, delivering the Bucks' highest point total this season. In less than 25 minutes, the two-time MVP recorded 32 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists.
But it was the milestone hit early in the third quarter that is the talk of the lopsided game.
With a layup at the 9:51 mark of the third quarter, Antetokounmpo became the sixth youngest player in NBA history to reach the exclusive 20,000-point club, with only LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Kobe Bryant, Wilt Chamberlain, and Michael Jordan to have reached it at an earlier age.
On a night where the Bucks star needed just 22 points to reach the milestone that 51 other players have done, he went 13-of-20 from the field, including a perfect 6-of-6 from the free-throw line.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is the 6th youngest player in NBA history to reach 20K PTS.
Only LeBron, KD, Kobe, Wilt, & MJ were younger. pic.twitter.com/C2JNKQDqMN
— StatMamba (@StatMamba) March 6, 2025
Following a timeout, the Bucks played a tribute video to Antetokounmpo on the video board at Fiserv Forum, honoring the face of the franchise who ended their 50-year championship drought.
Antetokounmpo has scored 20,010 career points to date, currently sitting at the No. 52 spot all-time behind former Washington Wizards star Antawn Jamison. On a season where he is averaging 30.8 points with 21 games remaining, he has a good chance of passing LaMarcus Aldridge for the No. 47 spot.
20,000 career points for Giannis Antetokounmpo
He is the 52nd player in history to score that many points and the first in Milwaukee Bucks franchise history to do so. pic.twitter.com/t2MJZGhQg2
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) March 6, 2025
As the Bucks continue their push toward the playoffs, Antetokounmpo's milestone serves as a reminder of the excellence of this still very young superstar. He is once again in the midst of an MVP-caliber season, and if not for names like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Nikola Jokic, he could be the leading contender.
With his name already among the all-time greats due to his many accomplishments, including being on the NBA's top 75 list, even more milestones would further cement Antetokounmpo as one of the most dominant forces the game has seen.
Related: Giannis Antetokounmpo Makes Honest Admission After Historic Milestone
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This story was originally published March 6, 2025 at 6:50 PM.