Greek Freak, brother make first start together for Bucks

MILWAUKEE • There is only one "Greek Freak" but there are two Antetokounmpo brothers in Milwaukee, who started together for the first time in the National Basketball Association (NBA) on Friday.

Giannis, known as the Greek Freak, is the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, spearheading the league-leading Bucks with his otherworldly skills.

Older brother Thanasis, 27, has not had quite the same impact, being a role player who spends more time warming the bench than on the court.

Before Friday's game against the Denver Nuggets, the brothers had spent an entire nine seconds on court together.

But on what the Bucks promoted as Greek Night, head coach Mike Budenholzer gave Thanasis the nod to start, the 15th game this season he has seen action.

"For he and Giannis to start an NBA game together was something I thought was unique and special," Budenholzer told reporters.

Thanasis played just over five minutes, during which he scored four points. With 8min 38sec left in the first period, he scored a layup from Giannis' assist.

"Think about if you're like 14 years old, right? And you're in your room and you're talking with your brother like, 'Imagine if we played on the same team and the gym is packed with 20,000 people and we pass the ball to each other and we score'," Thanasis told ESPN.

"And legit today, I was running for a layup, like let me chase the ball and go for a layup, then he stops and passes me the ball and I score, then I realise that it just happened so it's surreal."

Giannis scored a game-high 31 points while pulling in 16 rebounds. He also had nine assists, falling narrowly short of a triple-double.

It was not enough as the Bucks' nine-game winning streak ended with a 127-115 loss but they still have the league's best record at 41-7.

"That was amazing, man. I don't think we've ever started in a game together," Giannis told ESPN. "Not in the national team, not in the team that we played for before we became pro. Just being able to start with Thanasis is something that's always going to stick with me. I think he did a great job."

Thanasis was the 51st overall pick by the New York Knicks in the 2014 draft, but played just two games for the franchise. He spent the past two seasons with Greek team Panathinaikos before being signed by the Bucks last summer.

Giannis, 25, was drafted the 15th overall picks by the Bucks in 2013, and has played his entire career for the Wisconsin team.

The brothers were born in Athens to Nigerian parents.

REUTERS