Milwaukee Bucks All-Star Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the best in-game dunkers in the league, and it seems he throws down a highlight reel slam at least once a game. It didn't take long for him to hit his quota on Wednesday night.
Early in the second quarter of Game 2 against the Detroit Pistons, Giannis got the ball on the right wing, and had plenty of room to operate with the defense sagging off him to try and force him into taking an outside shot. He wouldn't settle, though, and instead went right into the paint to attack the rim.
Standing in his way was former teammate and protege, Thon Maker. But even with all of his experience guarding Giannis in practice every day, there was simply nothing the young big man could do. Giannis broke out some nifty dribbling moves, then simply overpowered Maker, backing him down before dropping a thunderous dunk on his head.
Later in the game, Giannis also got Maker on the other end of the floor. After the Pistons forward got past him on the drive, Giannis recovered quickly for an emphatic rejection.
The home crowd erupted after the slam and the block, as they do anytime their star makes a great play. But on these occasions they had a little extra in their applause. For whatever reason -- perhaps the fact that Maker requested a trade earlier in the season -- the Bucks faithful have some hard feelings for Maker, and have let him know during the series. They booed him during Game 1, something that Maker himself didn't quite understand, and kept it up in Game 2.
With Blake Griffin likely out for the series, that means extra minutes for Maker, and extra chances for Giannis to make plays just like this one. Try as he might, Maker isn't strong enough to deal with the potential MVP inside.