by Dee4Three on Fri May 24, 2019 12:13 am
The Bucks need more out of Giannis. 16 shots in 45 mins in game three and 17 shots in 34 minutes in game 4 isn't going to be enough, unless when he is dishing he is getting his guys good shots.
Giannis only attempting 16 shots in game three is a direct result of him having no reliable game outside of the paint. When the paint is packed and he can't get off quality looks within that 1-8 ft mark, he doesn't have anything really in his bag. If he had the ability to knock down mid or three consistently, or had a post fadeaway or solid post footwork, he would be able to put up another 5-10 shots confidently, and a lot of times thats the difference in the game and momentum. Kawhi has more in his bag, he has a much better offensive repertoire in general. Even when Kawhi isn't attempting a lot of shots, teams have to respect him on all parts of the floor, which opens up opportunities for teammates.
When it really matters and a team needs a bucket, Kawhi can go to his bag of tricks down the stretch and give TOR better looks for himself and his teammates. Giannis doesn't have that convenience. Giannis being the primary ball handler most of the time while driving and dishing is all well and good, until you realize that when he drives and can't get anything at the rim, the shooters are often times covered and have to make a move off the dribble, or they end up taking a contested three.
Giannis is young, and I do believe that he will become a better shooter and just overall be a more well rounded player outside of the paint. he has that competitive drive to lead me believe that. However, it will be a tough task for MIL to win this series unless Giannis is able to assert himself on offense in a more productive way. 9 for 17 in game 4 looks all well and good % wise, but seeing how many more opportunities he could have had offensively had he had more in his offensive bag of tricks tells a completely different story.