All the ingredients for a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks were present on Wednesday night. Fifth game in seven days? Bill. Second night of a back-to-back? Bill. Do you miss Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis? Triple check. But Milwaukee had one thing working in its favor: Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Antetokounmpo was in no mood to let Milwaukee off the hook with a loss. He scored 59 points, carrying the Bucks to an overtime win over the Detroit Pistons and notching their first back-to-back wins of the season.

In doing so, he sent a reminder to the league that even without his All-Star teammates, he is enough to tip the balance.

While the Bucks still have a long way to go to dig themselves out of their early season hole, let’s take a moment to appreciate the sheer force of nature that Giannis was on Wednesday night.

En route to that 59-point outburst, he shot an astonishing 21 of 34 (61.8 percent) from the field and hit 16 of 17 free throws. Meanwhile, the rest of the Bucks shot just 39.3 percent, making just 24 of 61 attempts.

The Pistons’ defensive scheme – or lack thereof – played a major role in his success. Despite witnessing the demolition in real time, Detroit stubbornly refused to double it or build a wall on the perimeter. Instead, they left Isaiah Stewart, Jalen Duren and others to fend for themselves. Let’s just say it didn’t end well for them.

Upstairs, Harris was left on an island. Instead of sending help, Detroit seemed content to watch Antetokounmpo hold him back, spin the baseline and finish with a reverse layup without a lick of help sent his way by Harris.

Then there was Paul Reed, who got his turn in the mismatch nightmare. Known more for his hustle than his defensive prowess, Reed was steamrolled under the basket, giving up a mildly contested dunk.

And Düren? He was caught isolated flat-footed at the free-throw line, doing his best to stay in front but still surrendering an easy seven-foot floater. The Pistons’ approach to defending Giannis felt less like a strategy and more like wishful thinking.

Once Antetokounmpo had Detroit reeling, he went to work on his mid-range game, showing off a jumper that has suddenly become a decent weapon.

This season, Giannis is hitting 46.2 percent of his pull-up twos – a mark higher than Jamal Murray, Donovan Mitchell and Luka Doncic. Against the Pistons, he went 5-for-9 on pull-up twos outside the paint.

The fact that he hits these at a respectable clip changes the way defenders have to approach him. They can no longer just sink and wait for him to walk into the paint. This slight improvement in his shooting ability has opened up his driving lanes, making him even more of a nightmare to guard.

Antetokounmpo’s offensive clinic didn’t end with isolation plays or pull-up jumpers. He also took on the role of primary ballhandler in pick-and-roll situations, working with Pat Connaughton and Gary Trent Jr. for a series of successful plays.

Say what you will about Connaughton’s struggles over the past few seasons, but his chemistry with Antetokounmpo is undeniable. Connaughton knows how to position his screens to perfectly prepare Giannis for his descents.

Here he came from the dunker’s spot to set out a pick, and turned it around at the last moment, just as Antetokounmpo hesitated and crossed to the same side. The combination created chaos on the defense and Giannis made an easy layup.

For all the talk about Antetokounmpo as a run-and-dunk player, his performance against the Pistons was a testament to how multi-dimensional his game has become. He handled the ball with pick-and-rolls, hit pull-up jumpers and attacked the rim with surgical precision. It was a night that showed every piece of its offensive arsenal, and Milwaukee needed every piece of it.

After this monster night, Antetokounmpo now leads the NBA in scoring at 33.3 points per game – three points ahead of the next highest player. It’s a testament to his ruthless drive and a reminder of how dominant he is.

If Lillard, Middleton and Portis return, the Bucks won’t need him to take on such a huge scoring load every night. But until then, he’s more than willing to carry the load, even if it means dropping 59 points in a tired back-to-back to get the win.

Milwaukee might have had a ready-made list of excuses for a loss in Detroit: second night of a back-to-back, missing key players, fatigue. But they only needed one reason to win: Giannis.

He refused to let the Bucks falter and brought life to the team with a masterclass that reminded everyone why he is a two-time MVP. As long as he is healthy and determined, Milwaukee’s title hopes are still alive.