Giannis SIGNS

[higharc]

Didn't learn anything new, but not a bad way to spend half an hour.

Watch on YouTube

[CharityStripe34]

Certain folks starting to notice that Freak is slowly learning how to close in the 4th.

[KidA24]

Certain folks starting to notice that Freak is slowly learning how to close in the 4th.

It's not that they are noticing. It's that he's learning.

Zach Lowe had a comment about Giannis "throwing a couple confident passes that he wouldn't have attempted last year."

[JayMKE]

Read on Twitter

Nothing like a guy who stands at 5'9 playing Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using RealGM mobile app

I think he's playing him as a child right?

[CharityStripe34]

Certain folks starting to notice that Freak is slowly learning how to close in the 4th.

It's not that they are noticing. It's that he's learning.

Zach Lowe had a comment about Giannis "throwing a couple confident passes that he wouldn't have attempted last year."

The smart ones are noticing. He's developing an edge and growing comfortable in crunch time. I always said he looks so fluid when he doesn't hesitate. He's steadily learning to attack from different areas of the floor and developing counters to the "wall."

[skones]

Read on Twitter

Nothing like a guy who stands at 5'9 playing Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Sent from my SM-N986U1 using RealGM mobile app

I think he's playing him as a child right?

He's actually playing his dad.

[Nightfall]

Baby Nr.2 on the way...

[HKPackFan]

So what would you say about Giannis's season?

I'm looking at some of the stats.

He's at 33 minutes (last year 30.4 and previous 32.8). He's had the most minutes in the Bud Era, and definitely more than last year. And a criticism of Bud last year was being too strict with minutes. Plenty of times this year Bud kept him for long stretches and in some tight or bigger games allowed him to play 40 minutes or play the entire 4th.

I think that's good progress for the playoffs.

His Points are down 28.1 vs 29.5 (but still second most of his career, he finished #5 in scoring on the season).
His FG% is a little higher this year, his FT's have improved to 68.5% with that new routine settling in a couple months into the season.
His rebounds were down, but his Assists were up.
His turnovers were down a hair, and his blocks/steals were up a little 1.2/1.2 to last year 1.0/1.0
His personal fouls were the lowest it's been since his rookie year, under 3 fouls a game (2.8) previous years were all over 3.


What does this show me. It's a little more subtle but I think I saw a lot of growth with Giannis this year. He was more under control. First, he wasn't plowing into a wall and turning the ball over and/or getting an offensive foul as much as previous years.

Also his assists were up. He had better control of his passes, made the right play more times and less wild throws to nowhere (also think he had better teammates converting on his passes).

His 3 ball was the same %, but I think it was less him forcing the 3, where if he missed, he would stubbornly force it again and again because it bothered him. Rather he played what the defense gave him and found more comfortable shots.

I think I saw a lot progress in his short to midrange game. Those 8 foot turn around jumpers, the fadeaway in the paint, the baseline jumpers. He had a plenty of other moves beyond just plow forward or chuck a wide open 3. Definitely the midrange game is still a work in progress, but it's going to be very useful in the playoffs and I was happy to see he wasn't afraid to shoot a 14 foot jumper if the defense gives it to him.

He didn't have the benefit of an offseason to spend a few months working on his craft, but I think he did whatever he could during the season to improve.

I think he'll take another step forward this offseason and improve that short to midrange jumper even more. He had plenty of opportunities for shots in the 6-10ft area and he started working those this season. If those are automatic, he's already fairly unguardable, this would just make him more unguardable and more efficient.

[Sigra]

I do not complain about his game this year. I complained a lot last year.

I did complain first few weeks. At the start of season he was still forcing and playing stupid. But then he changed. He started to play more intelligent, didn't force anymore, played inside etc. His ability to change changed my opinion on him. Now I love him again like I loved him 2 years ago.

[Pachinko_]

Baby Nr.2 on the way...

By the way, just to gauge the athletic genes a little bit, here's a couple of photos of Mariah when she was playing for Rice University:





Sooooo, at what age is little Liam gonna dunk for the first time?
I'm thinking 9 LOL

[emunney]

What I've seen from Giannis this year is a lot more patience going to the rim, a lot more variation in footwork on drives (making him harder to guess, thus fewer charges despite the fact that everybody now tries to set up a wall and everybody literally throws themselves in front of him), some occasional fakes (need many more), a higher all around skill level (particularly his ball handling), and increased willingness and improved competence playing off the ball offensively. Late in the season we saw the reemergence of the post fadeaway that I thought was going to be the key to us winning the title last year, and then it never showed up in the bubble.

He's making the type of progress he needs to make, we'll see if it's enough to carry us home this year.

[crkone]

I'm excited to see how him and Lopez play off each other in the playoffs when both are occupying the post/paint as they have been lately on offense.

[Ron Swanson]

Think that Giannis is in about as good of a position as he ever will be skill-wise to have his career defining playoff moment. He's at the point where most superstars historically had their peak seasons, aka when their skill development finally catches up to their elite athleticism. Agree that the patience is a lot more visible with him this year (pump fakes, hesitation drives, quicker kick outs, less dumb fouls, better shot selection). If it doesn't click this year and he still struggles against teams packing the paint, then I think it's just something mental with him. Let's hope not.

[ShootingtheJ]

Giannis finished the season shooting 80% from the restricted area, the best of all time.

[higharc]

Watch on YouTube

[ReasonablySober]

Read on Twitter

Yikes.

[HKPackFan]

Read on Twitter

Yikes.

What's the thing on top of the purple laces?

[crkone]

I gotta see more angles. That strap isn't very aesthetically pleasing.

[MickeyDavis]

I have a couple of the originals, the orange and the blue, I love them. These I don't like.

[MickeyDavis]

I have a couple of the originals, the orange and the blue, I love them. These I don't like.