Giannis Antetokounmpo has always been considered a menace in transition. His ball handling and body control, combined with his freakish athleticism, allow him to finish on the fast break like no other. For six straight seasons from 2018 to 2024, Giannis was the league leader in total fast-break points for an individual. Last season, this title was usurped by Coby White of the Chicago Bulls. Giannis will need to get back to his league-leading ways this season.
Giannis needs to attack in transition as much as possible
Part of Giannis’ dethroning certainly comes down to availability. He played a total of 67 games last season compared to White’s 74 and was outscored 528-521 in transition. But availability is also an important asset, and the Bucks will need Giannis on the court as much as possible this season. They will have to walk a tightrope.
It’s also worth noting that Giannis had scored upwards of 570 points in transition in prior seasons where he played less than 70 games. He certainly slowed down his fastbreak tendencies last season as he became a more deliberate halfcourt initiator in Doc Rivers’ offense. And Giannis did excel in that role; he had another historical season at 30.4 points, 11.9 rebounds and 6.5 assists per game.
Giannis also had a much-improved mid-range jumper last season. He scored a career-high 12.3 percent of his points from that area, while shooting career-best percentages that held up with any of the league’s top mid-range scorers. His volume and efficiency in the midrange were incredible and showed an obvious evolution for the Greek Freak.
Conventional wisdom says that having a mid-range game can be more important than overrelying on the fast-break for a star player once the playoffs roll around. And it is true that having a deep mid-range bag as a counter for opposing defenses packing the paint can be crucial in tactical matchups. But both the Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers showed that the fastbreak can still play a key role in deep playoff runs.
This season, it may be time for Giannis to take everything he’s shown in his career and put it together in one unstoppable offensive package. With a supporting cast limited on self-creation and playmaking, Giannis should take the onus on himself to create opportunities by pushing the fastbreak. This can also lead to more open shots for teammates, such as AJ Green, to knock down at a high clip.
It’s great that Giannis has mastered the art of the mid-range and hopefully he brings that refined game back this season. But he also needs to destroy the league on the fastbreak whenever possible and find easy baskets there to carry the Bucks to a good offense.