70sFan wrote:Also - Giannis offense comparisons with Shaq don't age too well now. I don't want to be overly harsh on him, but he hasn't proved so far that he can adjust. For all limitations, Shaq faced plenty of defensive pressure and he was rarely contained. Even in sweeps, Shaq's offense wasn't a problem.
Giannis doesn't have the defensive impact of all-time great bigman either. I've watched Rudy in playoffs and I don't doubt that he's better defender than Giannis.
We've had this discussion before. The game has changed since Shaq's prime, Shaq as an offensive anchor would also not work right now. And yes, even in the 90s, brooms tend to be involved anyway without an elite perimeter anchor.
Giannis doesn't need to "adjust", he needs to accept the offense can't go through him; he can still be a top 5 defensive player and a highly valuable offensive player if he does most of his damage off the ball and on the move. Giannis simply doesn't have the skill and vision to anchor an offense, under intense defensive pressure he becomes an outright liability; honestly people will never admit it, but it's quite possible the Bucks make the Finals last year if Giannis could be coached like a normal player and subbed off when he's getting played off the court and becoming an outright liability; the Raptors key runs were pretty much fueled by Giannis turnovers and Kawhi being able to help off Giannis at will.
