MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo makes NBA playoffs history

The Milwaukee Bucks beat the Orlando Magic 118-104 on Saturday to close out the first-round playoff series in the Eastern Conference between the top and eighth seeds. While the 4-1 series result was hardly a surprise to anyone, what was interesting is that Bucks superstar and reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo set a record that hasn't been done since 1968.

After the game last Saturday, Antetokounmpo became only the second player in NBA history to average 30+ points, 15+ rebounds, and 5+ assists in a playoff series.

According to the NBA's Twitter page, The only other player who has done it is Los Angeles Lakers legend... (wait for it)... Elgin Baylor. He did it three times in 1960, 1961, and 1968. Antetokounmpo is a power forward while Baylor is a small forward.

Only two players put up consistent paint dominating numbers in the league's entire history, and both players are forwards. This is despite the fact that it has now been 60 years since George Mikan turned basketball into a big man's game. The NBA, and basketball as a whole, is a game dominated by centers.

The NBA is full of big dominating centers such as Wilt Chamberlain, Bill Russell, Kareem-Abdul Jabbar, Moses Malone, Patrick Ewing, Hakeem Olajuwon, Bob McAdoo, Wes Unseld, Alonzo Mourning, David Robinson, Robert Parish, Willis Reed, and so on and so forth... There are at least 100 players who fit the definition of "dominating center" in the history of the NBA.

The last person who fits that description, Shaquille O'Neal, is also capable of such a feat.

But in reality, only two men have scored 30+ points, grabbed 15+ rebounds, and dished out 5+ assists average per game in a playoff series. And both of them are forwards.

While it is difficult to score 30+ points every single game, it's even harder to average 15+ rebounds. Wilt Chamberlain once scored 100 points in a game and grabbed 55 rebounds in another. They were two different games, but he still holds those records today.

Reigning MVP Antetokounmpo has shown that he could do what dominant centers have done and more. The Bucks are set to go against the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs. Let's see if Antetokounmpo can pull off the same feat again.