Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways From Win Over Washington Wizards

MVP

Giannis was practically unbelievable on Friday night. He scored 39 points, the first Milwaukee Buck to hit that scoring mark since Monta Ellis did in 2013. If the Greek Freak had made another free throw he would’ve dropped 40, which hasn’t been done by a Buck since Brandon Jennings dropped 55 back in 2009.

Completely arbitrary marks aside, Giannis owned this game. He got all the shots he wanted in addition to his other statistics, which included eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block.

Giannis continued to use his ability to get inside against the Wizards over and over. He made 12 of his 19 shot attempts, and got to the line a staggering 17 times, missing just two of those free throw attempts.

It’s starting to become apparent that Giannis is figuring out more and more of his game. When he gets inside the defense usually has two options–fouling him, or watching him score. Now that he’s making almost all of his free throws on a nightly basis, neither of the options are good.

The best part about watching Giannis play is when you realize he’s going to dunk before the defense does. Because he covers so much ground, he’ll start to prepare for a dunk around the three-point line, and nobody on the other team is ever ready for it. Here’s an example:

Here’s another angle. By the time the Wizard defenders started to reach for the ball to interrupt Giannis’ dribble, he’s already gathered it for a dunk.

Literally unfair. When he was at the line with 38 points, Bucks fans started chanting MVP. Those chants are not unwarranted. Giannis Antetokounmpo is almost single-handedly making the Bucks relevant again, and he’s simultaneously placing himself on a very selective list of NBA players.