Milwaukee Bucks: The time is now for Giannis Antetokounmpo

With the playoffs here, now is the time for Giannis Antetokounmpo to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to the Finals and prove he is the best player in the world.

The time is now for Giannis Antetokounmpo. Although playing in the Orlando bubble may not be the ideal scenario for the Milwaukee Bucks, this is the year when their superstar needs to lead the franchise back to the NBA Finals.

Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have been building up to this postseason since he first became a member of the team. Back when Giannis was the 15th pick of the 2013 Draft, and a lanky, unknown from Greece, no one would have predicted – except for maybe former GM John Hammond – that he would be an MVP winner with a chance to win a second consecutive award, along with potentially picking up Defensive Player of the Year too.

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Yet, behind Giannis’ unrelenting work ethic and talent, along with many, many other pieces falling into place – new ownership, new coach, new GM, the team building through good trades, and becoming a destination for free agents – the Bucks are now the number one seed for the second year running and the prohibitive favorite for the second straight year to emerge out of the Eastern Conference.

Now is the time for the MVP, the five-time All-Star, and team leader to lead the team to the Finals and demonstrate why he is the best player in the world.

But is he? And is he ready to take the next step?

Let’s start with Giannis’ three-point shooting. Antetokounmpo has definitely improved on what has long been one of the weaker elements of his game, and he now has the confidence attempt close to five triples per contest. That is a far cry from previous seasons, and even a major step forward from last year, when he was unlikely to shoot such a shot unless it was garbage time in a January game against the Chicago Bulls. The 25-year-old has shown more of a willingness to let it fly from distance, and he seems more comfortable with shooting, not only in the first quarter, but also in the fourth quarter.

But can Antetokounmpo make a three-pointer when the game is in the balance? In a heated fourth quarter back and forth?

Giannis shoots only 30.4 percent from behind the three-point line. Opposing teams still want him to take this shot, but he needs to persist to both keep the opposing defense honest, and also to give himself a different option. Mentally, after an air ball, Giannis no longer seems afraid to shoot the 3 again. Will that be the case in the playoffs, though? The deeper the team goes in the playoffs, the better the defenses will be. When Giannis cannot get anywhere near the basket, will he be willing to take jump shots?

In transition, Antetokounmpo is unstoppable. His Eurostep and spin moves get him to the rim almost at will. Inside, very few players can guard Giannis when he is near the rim. He is not nicknamed the Greek Freak for naught.

Discussion from national media can still land on the question of whether Giannis really has a go-to move, though.

When the defensive wall is formed in the playoffs, Giannis needs to trust his practice regimen. He needs to trust he can knock down the 10-footer. Antetokounmpo still doesn’t have a reliable midrange game of the caliber of his teammate Khris Middleton, but he can get to the free throw jumper all game long. Giannis can also get into the paint and take the baby hook. Giannis needs to shoot his baseline fadeaway. These are all shots that regular Bucks viewers have seen Giannis work on and make during the regular season. With two minutes left in a game, can he make the shot that is needed? Can he close the game when he cannot get to the basket?

The three-pointer and two-point jump shot are not what made Antetokounmpo an elite player in this league. His relentlessness in getting to the basket and barreling through defenses is what makes him the most unstoppable force in the NBA. The entire Bucks’ offense runs through their 6’11” playmaker. When he gets to the basket, he either finishes or is fouled.

As a result, the biggest question of all may be whether Giannis can make free throws when it matters most.

Antetokounmpo shoots 63.3 percent from the free throw line. He still occasionally airballs free throws. At times, it feels like you can see Giannis’ confidence melt away at the line. If he starts out a game missing free throws, it seems he cannot self-correct his form during that particular game. In the fourth quarter, can he make the two big free throws? Can he confidently take the ball to the rim with a minute left on the clock, get fouled, and deliver?

When it comes to the most important postseason of Giannis’ career to date, and the most important the Bucks have seen in quite some time, his jump shot, go-to moves, and free throw performance provide three significant question marks for Antetokounmpo.

Giannis won’t truly be the league’s best player until he is an NBA champion. Until he leads his team to a title. Even in the strange bubble experience of this season, the time is now for Giannis to take that next step and show the world just how great he is.