Forty-nine years ago tonight, the Bucks were coming off a season that saw them fall one series win shy of reaching the Finals. Entering the year, expectations were high, the Bucks had the fastest-rising star in the game (a guy who would soon cement himself as the best player in the world), and title hopes were in the air.

That night, the Bucks beat the Bullets (a Finals hopeful) along with their two big names (Earl Monroe and Wes Unseld) in the first week of the season to start a 16-game winning streak.

A 24 year-old Kareem would go on to win the MVP, and the Bucks would go on to win 66 games in the regular season and beat the Bullets in the Finals.

On Thursday night in Houston, the Bucks beat the Rockets (a Finals hopeful) along with their two big names (James Harden and Russell Westbrook) to kick off the season.

Last year, on his way to an MVP, Giannis consistently outplayed fellow MVP candidates in head-to-head matchups. In the opener this year, it was more of the same.

Despite a slow start, despite playing just 28 minutes, despite fouling out with five minutes and change to play, Giannis owned the night as he does, with 30 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, and the loveliest start to the fourth quarter:

Down by as many as 16, Giannis supercharged the comeback by scoring eight straight to start the fourth, and then assisting Ersan for a three that brought the Bucks to within one point at 90–89. He did that within the first three minutes of the fourth quarter. He has been doing most of this for the past three years.

After winning the MVP last season, Giannis said “Please, after this day don’t call me MVP until I win it again next year.”

This not all to say that a 24 year-old Giannis is going to win the MVP, that the Bucks are going to win 66 games in the regular season and beat the Rockets in the Finals.

But it is also not to not say that. The Bucks have come a long way since 1970, and maybe they are on the way to all the way back.