Giannis says he’s eyeing third NBA MVP award with Bucks: ‘Could bring tears to my eyes’ | News, results, highlights, statistics and rumors

In the midst of arguably the best start to the season of his already stellar career, Giannis Antetokounmpo has his sights set on winning a third MVP award.

Speaking to Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill, the Milwaukee Bucks superstar admitted that winning another MVP would “definitely bring tears to my eyes” if it came to that.

“I want to be part of this conversation,” he added. “It shows me that I was able to help my team, carry my team and strengthen (us as a team). I’m not going to lie, it definitely means something to me.”

Just two weeks ago, the idea that Antetokounmpo could be a strong factor in the MVP race seemed, through no fault of his own, far-fetched. He played at an elite level all season, but the Bucks lost eight of their first 10 games and were 4-9 after a loss to the Charlotte Hornets on Nov. 16.

However, following this loss, the Bucks posted a seven-game winning streak that took them to over .500. Their winning streak ended with a 119-104 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday, but they are still fifth in the Eastern Conference standings.

Antetokounmpo currently leads the NBA in scoring average with a career-high 32.6 points per game on 61.6 percent shooting. He ranks sixth in rebounds (11.6) and 15th in assists (6.6).

Antetokounmpo’s biggest highlight is his dominance in the paint and in transition.

Nikola Jokić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Karl-Anthony Towns are the only other players in the NBA averaging at least 25 points per game and a shooting rate of at least 50 percent from the field.

Antetokounmpo’s main challenger in the MVP race is currently Jokić. Jokić is already a three-time MVP winner and has somehow taken his game to a new level. He is averaging a triple-double with 29.9 points, 13.4 rebounds and 10.4 assists per game.

If the race between these two remains close throughout the season, the team championship could end up being the deciding factor. They have virtually the same record, with the Nuggets coming into Friday’s game at 11-9.

Thanks to the overall mediocrity of the Eastern Conference, the Bucks are, as things stand, a playoff team. The Nuggets are percentage points ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers (12-10) and are the eighth seed in the Western Conference.

Another MVP award would send Antetokounmpo into a frenzy. Only nine players in NBA history have won the MVP title at least three times.