Jul 6, 2021; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reacts against the Phoenix Suns during the first half in game one of the 2021 NBA Finals at Phoenix Suns Arena. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Mental, physical, tactical; sport is a battle on all fronts. Its not the one with the better game that always comes out on top. Especially in a team sport, communication, mental toughness, and the we over me attitude is what trumps physical capabilities. And thats what Giannis Antetokounmpo accomplished with the Milwaukee Bucks.

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Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks recently captured their first NBA Championship in fifty years. As much as the Bucks were phenomenal on the court, their relentless attitude in pursuit of the ultimate gold made the difference. No matter how badly they fell, they ensured that they got up from the slump ten times stronger. Giannis instilled the mentality in them; he instilled the sheer fearlessness in them.

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In Game-4 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Giannis Antetokounmpo suffered a hyperextension of the knee. This is not a small injury in any sense, and has even ended the careers of professional athletes before. As much as it was a battle with his body, Giannis was fighting against his mind. He wanted to get back on court, but the mental fatigue was perhaps just as taxing as the physical.

When the Greek freak returned against the Phoenix Suns, he did not look as devastating as he was before the injury. Things seemed bleak, but Giannis rose from the tricky terrains. After the first couple of games, Giannis proved why he is a generational talent and one of the leagues toughest. He proved his mettle with a title-sealing 50 points in Game-6 of the NBA Finals, just about three weeks post the scare.

Recently, Giannis opened up about the difficulty of dealing with such pain on a physical and mental level.Its not always about the physical. This playoffs, coming back after Game-4, my knee looked like an elbow. And I wasnt even hundred percent. People dont say that. People dont talk about it,an emotional Giannis quoted.

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Im emotional, I should not be, but thats f***in tough. The 26-year-old had a knee that was totally weak, but he managed to recover in lighting quick time. However, the road to recovery was a tedious one.Thats the tough part, not winning a game, its coming back after your knee looked like an elbow. But thats how Im built. Im never gonna change.

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If tales of recovery and mental toughness such as Giannis dont inspire people, very few things will. Milwaukee Bucks leading man is a living example of a trailblazer. He came, he saw, he failed, he got back up, and now he conquered!

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Thats F*ckin Tough: Giannis Antetokounmpo Explains the Mental Aspect of Returning From Gruesome Knee Injury During NBA Finals - EssentiallySports