Giannis Antetokounmpo is on a career-long eight-game streak of 30 or more points tying greatness for 2nd on the Bucks all-time list. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar previously held the top three spots alone before Giannis came along.
Kareem’s franchise record sits at 16 in 1972, but his eight-gamer is also in 1972. After closer examination, Kareem nearly did something remarkable.
March 3rd, 1972 the defending champion Bucks visiting Philadelphia, then Lew Alcindor, came into the contest with eight straight games with at least 30 points. That streak would end on that Friday night, but the Hall of Famer would takeoff from there.
Over the next 16 games, Kareem eclipsed 30 points again and again, but the streak snapped in the penultimate game of the year when he only had 20 … well he did it in 30 minutes and was pulled early in a 40-point blowout. He followed that with another 39 points in the last game of the year. He could have closed 1972 with 27 in a row.
You may be thinking, “well Dom, it was Kareem, it was a different era, Giannis is just as impressive.” You’re not wrong, but let me close with the kicker … the three-point line wouldn’t be invented for another seven years. Kareem’s streak was without the three-point line. What a wild streak to think about for the Big Fella.