The Milwaukee Bucks are still team to beat in the Eastern Conference as of now. Giannis Antetokounmpo is more confident than ever and they know their system. They have it all down on both ends of the court. For them it’s just about execution.
Giannis plays with a different edge now. That title run last season confirmed to him that he can’t be stopped. He also is playing a smarter game, dominating within his strengths (bully ball) and letting Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday be the wing creators.
“I started playing basketball just to help my family, try to get them out of the struggle. The challenges we were facing when we were kids, but I never thought I’m gonna be 26 years old with my team in the NBA Finals,” Giannis reflected on his journey.
Selected with the 15th overall pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Giannis Antetokounmpo has improved faster than expected. However, his game can evolve even more. Antetokounmpo is the first player in NBA history to win Most Improved Player, MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and NBA Finals MVP and he did it all by the age of 26.
Giannis is one of my favorite players in the NBA right now and most aspects of his game are either pretty good or elite. What should excite Bucks fans is that Giannis hasn’t even come close to what he can become as a hybrid big man. The Bucks won the NBA Championship last season by putting him in the low post and making his primary attack bully ball and using his HB dive ability as the secondary. The scary thing for opponents is that he is going to add to his post skills.
It’s very early this season but the main differences in Giannis jumper so far are that there is less of a hitch at the release point and he’s figuring out the foot work, walking into it with his feet square to the basket. Again, it’s super early, but he also just looks more confident taking it (which likely means reps all summer). If this translates to the rest of the season and the playoffs then all defenses will be in serious trouble because he is unstoppable going to the cup. This is like Thanos collecting all the Infinity Stones.
