Giannis Passing Up Big Shots, But Making Those Passes Count
In spite of having gone through spells of showing confidence in his shot, there’s no doubt that Giannis Antetokounmpo still remains firmly reluctant to let fly from mid-range or beyond.
Of course, Milwaukee would be better served if their star showed a willingness and ability to take and make more of these shots, but it doesn’t have to be a problem.
Much like most other notable areas of Giannis’ game, the key question needn’t center around what he is or isn’t doing it, but rather how he’s executing in those moments. Whether as a scorer, a playmaker or a defender, Antetokounmpo’s best moments come when he’s decisive.
The Clippers’ fourth quarter plan seemed to be to invite Giannis into mid-range shots late in the clock, and having missed one of those attempts relatively badly, it became clear that Antetokounmpo didn’t want to be lulled into such a game.
As such, Giannis started turning down shots that he has previously demonstrated the ability to make, but rather than letting the ball stick or forcing a drive, he took the play in a different direction.
We’ve already mentioned how Dellavedova knocked down three clutch shots in the last five minutes, but what’s equally important is how Giannis was the player who made the smart pass to tee him up on each of those occasions.
Although it would be nice to see the Greek Freak stroke those shots home in his own right, with his team having a lot of joy in pick-and-roll sets involving him and Dellavedova, Antetokounmpo may have hesitated on the shot, but made the all-important passes with conviction.
Giannis can do it all. So, if there are going to be nights where he doesn’t feel the right call is for him to shoot, you can’t ask for more than him becoming a dominant creator for others.