Milwaukee Bucks: Who’s The Most Valuable Player?
By Dan Larsen
Between consistent performers and emerging stars, who deserves to be the Milwaukee Bucks Most Valuable Player for 2015-16?
The Milwaukee Bucks season has finally come to a close. Things may not have gone the way that many expected when the season tipped off. However, despite missing the playoffs this season, there are real reasons to be excited for the future of this team.
It wasn’t all bad on the court. Khris Middleton posted a solid season in the first year of a near max contract, and was arguably the team’s most consistent performer. Jabari Parker emerged from the All-Star break as a high potential scoring forward who may go on to become one of the more dominant scorers in the game.
There is, however, only one player who I feel is deserving of being the Milwaukee Bucks 2015-16 MVP. That man is Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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For the first three months of the season, Antetokounmpo posted borderline All-Star stats, and looked like he had taken a substantive step forward in his game. He may not have been the team’s most consistent performer, but he was an impact player on the offensive end when the team got him involved.
What has set Antetokounmpo apart from anyone else on the team, however, has been his performance since the All-Star Break. With the team sitting outside of playoff contention, coach Jason Kidd decided it was time to abandon what wasn’t working and run with something new.
The key piece of Kidd’s changes was to make Antetokounmpo the team’s de facto ball-handler. Antetokounmpo had shown promising signs when given the ability to create for others in very limited opportunities throughout his young career. However, he was never given a significant run as the team’s primary ball-handler and creator.
Before the All-Star break, Antetokounmpo averaged 15.9 points per game along with 7.1 boards and 2.8 assists. His primary role was to work as a slashing forward, relying on back door cuts, well timed runs, and fast breaks to make the majority of his contributions. He was effective in this role. However, the team’s overall play on the offensive end suffered because of a lack of floor-spacing, particularly when the team was running Michael Carter-Williams at point.
Since the All-Star Break, however, Antetokounmpo has played like one of the league’s 15 best players. He has improved in every statistical category and has looked every bit like a superstar player.
First, Antetokounmpo has averaged 18.7 points per game since the All-Star Break, 2.6 points per game better than before. What’s impressive, is that he’s managed to improve his scoring while maintaining his efficient field goal percentage on over two more attempts per game (50.9%).
By having the ball in his hands more often, Antetokounmpo has had more opportunities to drive to the basket and create shots for himself. His style of scoring hasn’t changed. What has changed, however, is that he’s figured out how to consistently take advantage of being guarded by smaller defenders who can’t contend with his length. He’s also begun to master his move-set, particularly his patented euro-step that left many defenders lost in its wake.
The best display of his skills came against the Chicago Bulls on April 3rd. On that night, Antetokounmpo set a career high of 34 points, going 14-22 from the field. It was a dominant performance, a show of what he can bring as a scorer when he’s confident in his game:
Another major improvement Antetokounmpo made in his game came on the boards. After averaging 7.1 boards per game prior to the break, Antetokounmpo raised his total to 8.6 boards per game. This included 11 games where Antetokounmpo got at least ten boards.
Much of this improvement has come from better timing and positioning. Earlier in the season, the Bucks tried to get Antetokounmpo to run on the break, leaving the defensive rebounding responsibilities primarily to Greg Monroe and Jabari Parker. Parker’s struggles on the boards, however, led the Bucks to tweak with their rebounding approach, using the bigger Antetokounmpo to get in the paint and muscle for boards. By fighting for more boards, Antetokounmpo was not only able to help the team rebound, he was able to get the ball in his hands earlier on to create opportunities on the break
With Antetokounmpo’s improvements, the Bucks were much more effective in at least contesting teams on the boards, even though they finished among the bottom of the league in rebounding.
Antetokounmpo’s biggest improvement on the offensive end, however, has been his ability to create. After averaging just 2.8 assists per game prior to the break, Antetokounmpo improved his total to 7.3 assists per game. If averaged over the course of the season, that total would have put Antetokounmpo eighth in the league in assists, just behind Draymond Green.
Because of his size and athleticism, few are able to guard Antetokounmpo effectively on their own. As a result, teams often need to double him when he drives to to the lane to prevent him from getting easy baskets. This creates openings and opportunities for the other players on the floor, giving Jabari Parker and Khris Middleton better looks.
Antetokounmpo has been very effective at the drive and kick because he knows where his teammates are at all times. He’s shown exceptional vision and understanding for someone so new to the position, and his ridiculous athleticism allows him to create shot opportunities that few in the league can create. He’s also been very effective at the pick and roll, knowing when to shoot and when to pass out to his teammates.
By putting the ball in his hands, the Bucks also created more spacing. Instead of running with a line-up with just one true shooter, the Bucks were able to add a second off-ball guard, like Jerryd Bayless, to provide spacing. This improved the Bucks offense dramatically as defenses could no longer sit 3-4 defenders near the lane.
Though the team did not necessarily run a very complex offense with Antetokounmpo at the helm, they were much more effective with him running the show than anyone else. And, given his natural ability, it’s not hard to envision Antetokounmpo operating as the team’s primary facilitator for the foreseeable future, especially when he’s capable of putting in performances like this:
Antetokounmpo’s major improvements after the break, however, were not limited to the offensive end. He also began to show better instincts and understanding on the defensive end.
Before the break, Antetokounmpo was averaging a steal and 1.2 blocks per game, respectable numbers, but nowhere near what he’s capable of averaging.
Since the break, however, Antetokounmpo improved his totals significantly, averaging 1.5 steals and 1.9 blocks per game.
Much of this improvement came from a better understanding of when to help and how to position himself properly. Unlike earlier in the season, when he often seemed lost and was too willing to help, Antetokounmpo has gotten better at knowing where to position himself in the passing lanes while still remaining close enough to guard his guy.
Instead of doubling the ball-handler as they came up the court, or sitting in the lane in an attempt to double, Antetokounmpo began to position himself just outside the lane, about 8-10 feet from the basket. This enabled him to be in a better position to help and block shots if he had the opportunity, but it also kept him close enough to get back and contest his guy if the team kicked the ball out to his assignment.
He also began to show signs of improving his individual defense. Earlier in the season, Antetokounmpo struggled to stay in front of his guys, over-pursuing his man when he gave space which enabled his man to go by him.
Since the break, however, Antetokounmpo has been better at staying in front of his man. Much of this comes from simply staying on the ground and contesting with his arms rather than jumping and trying to block the shot. Unlike some guys who lack an effective wing-span, Antetokounmpo has a wing span that makes it extremely difficult for any player of any height to hit a shot. Thus, he has no need to jump in his contests because his wing-span already makes him effective at contesting shots.
His improved individual defense has also come from better positioning. Now that he’s begun to figure out just how much space he can afford his man, he’s been better able to stay in front of his guy and play much more effective one-on-one defense because he’s not having to over-compensate for affording his man too much space.
Antetokounmpo was far from the only effective player for the Bucks this season. Khris Middleton had an excellent first season on his new deal, and was arguably the team’s most consistent performer. If this award had been given out at the All-Star Break, Middleton would have been a nearly unanimous pick as this season’s best performer.
Jabari Parker also deserves praise for his much improved play. After getting to full health, Parker has looked every bit the player that Bucks fans were hoping they were getting when he was drafted second overall just two seasons ago.
Outside of Antetokounmpo, Karl Anthony-Towns, Anthony Davis, and fellow draft-mate Andrew Wiggins, Parker arguably possesses the highest ceiling on any player under the age of 25. After seeing what he can do this season, it’s not hard envision Parker developing into the potential Carmelo Anthony type scorer that many saw him being out of college. With a healthy off-season forthcoming, Parker will only continue to improve.
It’s been the elevation in his game, however, that’s set Antetokounmpo apart. Few players in Bucks history have ever had a run of games like Antetokounmpo has had. His five triple-doubles in 20 games, for example, tied him for third most in franchise history with Oscar Robertson, a mark he’s since surpassed.
In fact, few players have EVER posted the kind of numbers Antetokounmpo has at such a young age. We’re literally in uncharted territory when it comes Antetokounmpo! If it weren’t for the ridiculous numbers Karl Anthony-Towns put up as a rookie this year, Antetokounmpo would be getting all of the attention as the league’s next big thing.
Not since Ray Allen has this team had such a talented, high potential player. And given what we’ve seen out of him so far, it’s not difficult to see Antetokounmpo surpassing what Allen contributed to this team.
After decades of disappointment, Antetokounmpo gives the Bucks real hope that they may finally have their transformative star player that they’ve so desperately needed.
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What we saw over these past 28 games wasn’t a fluke. It’s the beginning of something very special. And it’s why Antetokounmpo is, for me, the Milwaukee Bucks 2015-16 Most Valuable Player.