Milwaukee Bucks: Individual grades for starters after one month

Milwaukee Bucks: Grading the starters after one month – Giannis Antetokounmpo

Being the reigning two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo gets held to high standards. With that in mind, the Greek Freak has been slightly out of sorts this season, the best way to describe his start as being “erratic.” 

Although his first 16 game stretch has been irregular, Antetokounmpo is still putting up phenomenal numbers. Giannis is averaging 27 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 5.3 assists per game, all of which are less than they were the season prior. While part of that can be attributed to Middleton, Holiday, and the rest of the Bucks stepping up, there is no question that Giannis has endured his share of struggles.

Unsurprisingly, these struggles have particularly come from the free throw line and from 3-point territory, two areas that have been Antetokounmpo’s weak points for years. Shooting just 58.5 percent from the line on 9.8 attempts per game, the Greek Freak’s woes from the line have hindered this team significantly, particularly in close contests.

Antetokounmpo has not been afraid to let it fly regarding his outside shooting by heaving 4.7 attempts from long-range per game, matching his career-high from last season. Connecting on just 30 percent of those, consistency is still a work in progress. While he continues gaining confidence from distance, he will not be a knockdown shooter anytime soon.

All in all, he’s still Giannis Antetokounmpo. Although he might not match his numbers from last year, he is still having a fantastic season for the Bucks, and he will continue to be the driving force for this team as they chase a title. While he is certainly the team’s best player, that does not exempt him from receiving a lower grade than his teammates.

Because of his superstar stature and slow start to the season with regressed numbers, there is still room for Antetokounmpo to improve moving forward.

BTBP Grade: A-