The MVP’s struggles
After such a mammoth performance Sunday afternoon in Charlotte, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s night in Miami was anything but.
Playing for 30 minutes and 45 seconds, Antetokounmpo finished with a season-low 13 points on 18 shots (0-for-4 from three, 1-for-2 from the foul line), 15 rebounds, three assists as well as three turnovers and was a -15 on the night.
Miami’s defense has long been disciplined about sending bodies Antetokounmpo’s way, whether in the post or in the paint. Headlined by the work of Bam Adebayo, the reigning MVP struggled to make any headway in that regard with the many crowds he had to operate against and finished with just 10 paint points and was 4-of-8 at the rim for the night, per NBA.com/stats.
As willing as Antetokounmpo has been to show off his in-between game and range shooting, there were a few moments where the 25-year-old’s jumper looked smooth and led to a strange shot selection on certain possessions. And Monday night, Antetokounmpo only went to the foul line on two occasions, further restricting where he primarily does damage to opponents.
Clearly, the Heat kept Antetokounmpo in line and when the Bucks’ superstar is out of sorts, it makes things that much tougher for the team to establish the tone and some level of consistency, especially on the second night of a back-to-back.