Statistically, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Porter Jr. have both been among the best players in the league in pick and roll situations this season. Naturally, hammering home picks and rolls with the tandem should be a mainstay in Milwaukee's offensive approach, but health has prevented the team from doing so.
Health has stripped Bucks of needed offensive attack
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Porter Jr. have played 46 minutes together in 25 games this year. These are two starting players. Injuries have simply plagued them both. Porter has missed most of the season with meniscus surgery and an ankle injury. Giannis has been out due to a groin injury and now a calf strain. They haven't played together much, but separately, they've been exceptional.
Injuries have deprived the Milwaukee Bucks of being able to run a lethal pick and roll.
As the ball-handler in pick and roll situations, Porter is averaging 1.18 points per possession, the third most in the NBA among players to take at least five such shots per game. He trails only reigning Finals MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and All-Star running mate Jalen Williams. Porter currently boasts the NBA's best effective field goal percentage in this regard at 63.3 percent.
Giannis, meanwhile, has been his usual dominant self, averaging 2.04 points per possession as the roll man, which is far and away the best in the NBA. Second place is Karlo Matkovic at 1.80. Giannis has been incredibly efficient in such situations, shooting 89.5 percent on such shots, which, as you likely guessed, is the best percentage in the entire league.
Spamming pick and rolls with these two, given these numbers, could force defenses to pick their poison as they try to slow down the Milwaukee Bucks. Unfortunately, injuries have prevented the team from relying on this. Giannis will be out for a few more weeks. The team can utilize Porter's scoring, but Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, and Jericho Sims are not as good as Giannis as roll men.
It's bold, but based on these numbers, Antetokounmpo and Porter could be the lethal pick and roll duo that the Greek Freak and Damian Lillard were initially suspected to be.
With so much trade chatter about Giannis' future making the rounds right now, there are questions regarding whether or not the two will ever share the court together again. If they do, utilizing what, in theory, could be a dynamic pick and roll combination should be a staple on Doc Rivers' play sheet.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.