Here's the thing nobody wants to say out loud: Giannis can't keep playing the same way and expect different results. Because the Greek Freak who bulldozed through the 2021 championship run doesn't work anymore; not with this roster.
Look around Milwaukee's backcourt and try to figure out where the real playmaking is coming from. Without the likes of Damian Lillard, Jrue Holiday, or Eric Bledsoe around (or for that matter, a secondary playmaking threat in Khris Middleton), Point Giannis will need to be unleashed with the Bucks playing fast and trying to get easy buckets in transition.
Beloved eras come and go, but this is where we are today. The half-court grind that got them a title three years ago died when they traded away their best floor generals.
It's time for Point Giannis to show the league what he can do
Giannis has spent his career being the guy who finishes plays, not the one who starts them. But even at age 30, anyone who watches him in transition knows that's when he looks unstoppable. Seven feet of pure athleticism pushing the pace, finding cutters, creating chaos before defenses can even think about loading up the paint.
Yet for some reason, Doc Rivers and his coaching staff keep asking him to back down smaller defenders in slow, predictable sets.
The math is pretty straightforward here. Giannis' assist numbers jump when he's the primary initiator. And all these young guys they've stockpiled, from Andre Jackson Jr. and Gary Trent, to Tyler Smith and Jericho Sims, to Amir Coffey and Chris Livingston, are all built for pace, not grinding through Doc Rivers' ancient offensive concepts.
Think about it: what's scarier for opponents? A methodical Bucks team that gives you time to set your defense and double Giannis in the post? Or a chaotic, fast-breaking attack where the Greek Freak is pushing the ball upcourt himself, making split-second decisions while your team is still getting back?
According to NBA.com/stats matchup data, Giannis spent 23.2 percent of his minutes this past season as a guard, during which he put up 2.3 assists per game and shot 68.4 percent on field goals. The sample size is there, but the coaching staff (and Giannis himself) will need to adjust to fully buy into it.
Playtype data also offers us a clearer picture of Antetokounmpo's acumen in that role. He spends 16.1 percent of his offensive possessions as the ball-handler in the pick-and-roll, during which he scored 1.29 points per possession, which is good for the 94th percentile in his position.
The point is that this isn't some radical experiment. We've seen flashes of Point Giannis before, and it's always looked natural. He sees the floor better than people give him credit for. His passing instincts are sharp. He just needs permission to fully embrace that role.
Giannis has had to adjust before depending on his team's needs. When Dame Time arrived in town, he had to lean into his screen-setting as more of a traditional, rim-running big. The real test now is whether Giannis can sacrifice some individual dominance for team success and trade an easy 30 and 6 for a more productive 25 and 10.
If (and when) it happens, that's championship maturity right there. And the Bucks will be better for it.