Top 3 seasons where Giannis Antetokounmpo had the most blocks of his career

Giannis Antetokounmpo is coming off a dream season in 2020-21. He won the All-Star game's Most Valuable Player shooting 100% from the field, was named 2021 NBA Finals MVP and also won his first NBA championship with the Milwaukee Bucks. All season long he was dominant and got to the rim with ease.

In the current season, Giannis Antetokounmpo has played in 23 games, averaging 27 points, 11.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. The 6-foot and 11-inches tall forward has a wingspan of 7-foot and 3-inches which makes him a serious problem for opponents on both sides of the balll. Giannis Antetokounmpo has instilled fear in many guards, forwards and even centers with his ability to block shots. One of his most memorable blocks came in Game 4 of the 2021 NBA Finals against the Phoenix Suns, where he blocked a DeAndre Ayton shot in the final minutes. That being said, let’s take a look at his top three seasons in terms of rim protection.

#3 2018-19 – 110 blocks

In the 2018-19 season, the Milwaukee Bucks finished first in the Eastern Conference with a strong 60-22 record. The 24-year-old Giannis Antetokounmpo averaged a double-double with 27.7 points and 12.5 rebounds throughout the season. He totalled 110 blocks in the regular season and his highest in a single game was 5, which came against the Philadelphia 76ers. Giannis Antetokounmpo was named to the NBA All-Defensive first team at the end of the season.

In the playoffs, the Bucks swept the Detroit Pistons in the first round and beat the Boston Celtics 4-1 in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Giannis Antetokounmpo turned up the heat on the defensive end against the Toronto Raptors, but could not come away with a series victory. After holding a 2-0 lead, the Bucks gave up the final four games and with that their campaign came to an end. The Toronto Raptors reached the finals and dethroned the Golden State Warriors in six games.

#2 2015-16 – 113 blocks

In the 2015-16 season, Giannis Antetokounmpo played his third season as an NBA professional. He was yet to reach his maximum potential, while averaging 16.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game. Giannis Antetokounmpo kept growing and developing as a player and put up a massive game against the Los Angeles Lakers. On Feb 22nd, 2016, in a 108-101 win against the Lakers, he logged his first career triple-double with 27 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

Throughout the regular season Giannis Antetokounmpo consistently showed his defensive prowess, recording 113 blocks. This was the first time he finished amongst the top 20 players in the league in terms of blocks per game. The Milwaukee Bucks could register only 33 wins, finishing well out of the playoffs qualifying range.

#1 2016-17 – 151 blocks

2016-17 was another season of improvement for Giannis Antetokounmpo. He improved his average to 22.9 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks per game, crossing the 20 points per game mark for the first time in his career. At the end of the regular season, Giannis Antetokounmpo was named the NBA’s Most Improved Player. Against the Chicago Bulls, on December 31st, 2016, Giannis Antetokounmpo had a career night. He blocked 7 shots, making it his highest in a single game.

With an improved Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Milwaukee Bucks finished the season with 42 wins. Throughout the season, Giannis recorded 151 blocks in 80 games. After finishing 6th in the Eastern Conference Standings, they faced the Toronto Raptors in the first round of the playoffs. Giannis Antetokounmpo played with confidence on both ends of the floor, but the Milwaukee Bucks lost the series in six games, exiting the playoffs early once again.