AJ Green, typically one of the best marksmen in the entire NBA, has been ice cold lately, but Giannis Antetokounmpo's return should help get him back on the right track. Since he started earning regular rotation minutes, Green has played his best basketball with Giannis by his side. For a good chunk of this slump, Green had been playing without the Milwaukee Bucks superstar.
Green's slump has reached a troubling level, and Giannis should help
Over his last eight performances, Green is shooting a vile 30 percent from downtown on 6.3 attempts per game. For a player who shot 47.5 percent in November and is at 41.5 percent overall for the year, Green's current production is not up to par. Two of those games have come with Giannis back in the lineup, but the Greek Freak is understandably still working out some early rust.
Once Giannis starts finding his footing and earning more minutes, he and Green could pick up where they left off as an incredibly productive duo. Everyone knows that shooters thrive when they play with Giannis due to the space he commands, and that holds true for Green, who is hitting an impressive 47.2 percent of his triples off passes from the Greek Freak. The Bucks need more of that.
Green's outside shooting can be an X-factor down the stretch
Green is at his most impactful when he's knocking down triples. He has one of the quickest triggers in the entire business, cementing it in his mind that he's firing before he even has the ball. When a team has a dominant inside force like Giannis, an elite perimeter force like Green can make defenses pay every single trip down the floor.
To get back to being that fearsome presence, Green simply has to get back to doing what he does best. Over his last eight games, he's shooting just 35.7 percent on his "wide open" 3-point attempts. On his "open" looks, he's at just 37.5 percent. The good looks are there; he's just not hitting them like everyone knows he can.
No one on the team has lost confidence in Green. Doc Rivers is sticking with him as the starting two guard. Everyone is still looking for him when he has the slightest bit of space. They know it takes just one shot for him to get hot, and this team, especially Giannis, will empower him down the stretch.
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