[B-ball fanParticipant]

 I don’t know who else was watching last night’s Bucks-Knicks game, as it is pretty painful how bad each team is, but Giannis made his first start and played pretty well.  He played exceptionally physical with Melo, talking trash to him all game and basically shutting Melo down whenever matched up with him, hounding him beyond the arc and forcing more Melo TOs than made shots allowed.

It was the most intense Giannis has been all season and he played the entire game angry, getting called for multiple offensive fouls for elbows and physical play.  He had a somewhat mixed outing, not getting involved in the offense as much, barely even touching the ball.  Like always, he attacked the rim whenever he touched the ball and had a couple fantastic highlight reel full court drives, showcasing his elite end-to-end speed.

Giannis has now played big minutes in four straight games and Larry Drew has said that the minutes are for real.  He still is figuring out how to make an impact in the Bucks’ stagnant half court offense and has not shown much of a jump shot, but he has already shown a few potentially elite skills.  

Giannis’s full court drives following his own rebounds are the Bucks best offensive plays, he is the best intuitive passer on the Bucks roster, and he has shown flashes of phenomenal defensive rebounding ability.  He struggled on defense in the early parts of the season, notably getting lit up by Mike Dunleavy in their first match-up, but this past week his defense has been fantastic.  He has gotten much better at fighting through screens and really helped frustrate Melo yesterday.  He still struggles to defend guards, but he is getting better and is, despite his thin frame, a very physical defender in the lane who boxes out well.

With my own mini-scouting report on Giannis done, I was wondering what other posters on this site expect from Giannis.  I was critical of the Bucks’ selection of Giannis on draft night, but he has won me over with his play early this season.  I would not be surprised if he was the best player from his draft class in two years.  He just needs to get more confidence and earn more touches.  

[joecheck88Participant]

 I was not a fan of the pick at the time but now, with the class not being that great and just on defensive potential and hustle alone I think he was a steal. Don’t think he is a future star but he reminds me a bit of Luol Deng when he was about the same age except more assertive. I think of he has the work ethic he can be a fantastic player for a good team. Now if Milwaukee can get the star player they need the have a good core of young guys in Henson, Wolters, GA and their pick in this next draft. 

[joecheck88Participant]

 I was not a fan of the pick at the time but now, with the class not being that great and just on defensive potential and hustle alone I think he was a steal. Don’t think he is a future star but he reminds me a bit of Luol Deng when he was about the same age except more assertive. I think of he has the work ethic he can be a fantastic player for a good team. Now if Milwaukee can get the star player they need the have a good core of young guys in Henson, Wolters, GA and their pick in this next draft. 

[qDizzle32Participant]

You guys have to keep in mind how young he is as well. The only reason why he wa still eligible for this draft was because he’s not from the states and that he was eligible by the skin on his teeth with him being born in December of 1994. Giannis is the age of a normal college freshmen. He did an outstanding job at guarding Carmelo, one of the best offensive players in the league. I ate my words on him being drafted so high (The 15th pick) because he’s already proven to be well at the NBA level after turning 19 just days ago as the youngest NBA player since Andrew Bynum. 

[qDizzle32Participant]

You guys have to keep in mind how young he is as well. The only reason why he wa still eligible for this draft was because he’s not from the states and that he was eligible by the skin on his teeth with him being born in December of 1994. Giannis is the age of a normal college freshmen. He did an outstanding job at guarding Carmelo, one of the best offensive players in the league. I ate my words on him being drafted so high (The 15th pick) because he’s already proven to be well at the NBA level after turning 19 just days ago as the youngest NBA player since Andrew Bynum. 

[Moon RiverParticipant]

Will be solved when Larry Sanders gets back………….or maybe not.  Keep losing Milwaukee as it is in your best interest to do so. 

And why did they sign Mayo again?

[Moon RiverParticipant]

Will be solved when Larry Sanders gets back………….or maybe not.  Keep losing Milwaukee as it is in your best interest to do so. 

And why did they sign Mayo again?

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

For a guy that just turned 19 not two weeks ago, the dude played very well on the defensive end last night.

Carmelo could not shake the guy off of him and even when Carmelo created space between the two, Giannis’ arms extended out way too much for Melo to be comfortable.

This guy is going to be very good defensively for his career, if he can pack on some pounds, he can really be a tough player on that end.  20-30lbs of muscle and we can definitely see this guy guard the 1-4 in a few seasons.

To think, after his rookie contract is over, he’ll only be 22!

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

For a guy that just turned 19 not two weeks ago, the dude played very well on the defensive end last night.

Carmelo could not shake the guy off of him and even when Carmelo created space between the two, Giannis’ arms extended out way too much for Melo to be comfortable.

This guy is going to be very good defensively for his career, if he can pack on some pounds, he can really be a tough player on that end.  20-30lbs of muscle and we can definitely see this guy guard the 1-4 in a few seasons.

To think, after his rookie contract is over, he’ll only be 22!

[machu46Participant]

I don’t even really understand how you guys were against the pick when it was originally made lol.  In a draft as weak as last year’s was, why not swing for the fences on a guy with a freakishly unique skill set, especially when you’re a team like Milwaukee that can’t sign a star player?

Sky’s the limit with this kid.  He’s shown flashes of potentially being a point-forward.  Great ball-handler and great passing instincts for such a young and raw kid.  Great defensive potential due to his blend of a very long frame, very good athleticism, and very good defensive effort.  Great rebounding potential for a SF/PF due to that length and athleticism.  He’s already a very good finisher, especially considering he’s a twig right now.  Finishing around the rim at over 60% so far this year.  Shooting about 73% from the line so far this month.  He has the potential to have a skill set similar to Paul George but with the build of Kevin Durant.  That’s just a freakish combination, and his stats as a rookie compare pretty nicely to Paul George as a rookie as well.

Obviously there’s no guarantee that GA ever reaches that potential, but that kind of potential is there IMO.

 

 

 

 

[joecheck88Participant]

 It just seemed high for a guy a lot of people didn’t know much about. We’ve seen skinny athletic guys drafted high due to potential not pan out. I get what you’re saying though. Just me personally knew very little about him going into the draft. 

[joecheck88Participant]

 It just seemed high for a guy a lot of people didn’t know much about. We’ve seen skinny athletic guys drafted high due to potential not pan out. I get what you’re saying though. Just me personally knew very little about him going into the draft. 

[B-ball fanParticipant]

Yeah, Larry Drew says he will be a point-forward in the future, which bodes well for his development.  Obviously, anything a coach says about their own players should be taken with a grain of salt, but hopefully that means the Bucks will keep giving him more and more opportunities to handle the ball and make plays.  He already has a great understanding of how to attack the middle of the floor and draw defenders to him so he can make the kick-out pass or the dump-off.  Not many young players do that.  Brandon Knight still shows no ability to manipulate the defense in the way Giannis does just intuitively.  

I was a skeptic before the draft because I just didn’t trust judgements of his based upon his performance against Greek teenagers.  He was a big fish in a very small pond and I thought making NBA projections off his performance in Greece was highly risky.  

Now that Giannis is showing the same skills in the NBA that he showed in Greece, I have become a huge fan of his. He plays with tremendous confidence and energy, clearly showing a superstar mentality.  That doesn’t mean he will become a star, but his attitude on the court is that of a player who knows he is a star.  And, despite his confidence, he still has good shot selection, is an unselfish passer, and loves to attack the rim, rather than settle for jumpers.  

Giannis’s biggest weakness at this point is his jump shot.  That doesn’t matter as much in transition, but if he is to become a half-court scorer, he needs to develop at least a passable jump shot.  I expect that he will, but the time needed for that to happen will go a long way in dictating when he will break out.  He also needs to tighten his handle a little to truly become a dynamic playmaker, but his handles are already extremely good for his age.  His build just means there is an extra onus put on his ability to develop great ball handling ability.

[B-ball fanParticipant]

Yeah, Larry Drew says he will be a point-forward in the future, which bodes well for his development.  Obviously, anything a coach says about their own players should be taken with a grain of salt, but hopefully that means the Bucks will keep giving him more and more opportunities to handle the ball and make plays.  He already has a great understanding of how to attack the middle of the floor and draw defenders to him so he can make the kick-out pass or the dump-off.  Not many young players do that.  Brandon Knight still shows no ability to manipulate the defense in the way Giannis does just intuitively.  

I was a skeptic before the draft because I just didn’t trust judgements of his based upon his performance against Greek teenagers.  He was a big fish in a very small pond and I thought making NBA projections off his performance in Greece was highly risky.  

Now that Giannis is showing the same skills in the NBA that he showed in Greece, I have become a huge fan of his. He plays with tremendous confidence and energy, clearly showing a superstar mentality.  That doesn’t mean he will become a star, but his attitude on the court is that of a player who knows he is a star.  And, despite his confidence, he still has good shot selection, is an unselfish passer, and loves to attack the rim, rather than settle for jumpers.  

Giannis’s biggest weakness at this point is his jump shot.  That doesn’t matter as much in transition, but if he is to become a half-court scorer, he needs to develop at least a passable jump shot.  I expect that he will, but the time needed for that to happen will go a long way in dictating when he will break out.  He also needs to tighten his handle a little to truly become a dynamic playmaker, but his handles are already extremely good for his age.  His build just means there is an extra onus put on his ability to develop great ball handling ability.

[ericw2013Participant]

 I think that Kevin Durant comparissons are a little bit high for him.

Perhaps more of a Luol Deng…

[machu46Participant]

I agree.  I don’t think he’s anything like Durant beyond his build.

I think he can be like a Paul George with Durant’s build though.  If he reaches his potential, which is a big if.

 

[machu46Participant]

I agree.  I don’t think he’s anything like Durant beyond his build.

I think he can be like a Paul George with Durant’s build though.  If he reaches his potential, which is a big if.

 

[ericw2013Participant]

 I think that Kevin Durant comparissons are a little bit high for him.

Perhaps more of a Luol Deng…

[machu46Participant]

I don’t even really understand how you guys were against the pick when it was originally made lol.  In a draft as weak as last year’s was, why not swing for the fences on a guy with a freakishly unique skill set, especially when you’re a team like Milwaukee that can’t sign a star player?

Sky’s the limit with this kid.  He’s shown flashes of potentially being a point-forward.  Great ball-handler and great passing instincts for such a young and raw kid.  Great defensive potential due to his blend of a very long frame, very good athleticism, and very good defensive effort.  Great rebounding potential for a SF/PF due to that length and athleticism.  He’s already a very good finisher, especially considering he’s a twig right now.  Finishing around the rim at over 60% so far this year.  Shooting about 73% from the line so far this month.  He has the potential to have a skill set similar to Paul George but with the build of Kevin Durant.  That’s just a freakish combination, and his stats as a rookie compare pretty nicely to Paul George as a rookie as well.

Obviously there’s no guarantee that GA ever reaches that potential, but that kind of potential is there IMO.

 

 

 

 

[XYRYXParticipant]

 I’m impressed how hard he plays and how is not forcing anything. For sure he has all the minutes right now cause Butler and Sanders aren’t playing and he won’t have an easy time when they are back. But the fact alone that he wants to play defense and is good in the Open court will earn him a rotation spot. 

[XYRYXParticipant]

 I’m impressed how hard he plays and how is not forcing anything. For sure he has all the minutes right now cause Butler and Sanders aren’t playing and he won’t have an easy time when they are back. But the fact alone that he wants to play defense and is good in the Open court will earn him a rotation spot. 

[Ghost01Participant]

 If they could grab one of the big guns this year, they will have a hell of a lot of upside with Giannis and whoever that player is. They could be the revese Sonics and move to Seattle and become everyone’s bandwagon team. 

[Ghost01Participant]

 If they could grab one of the big guns this year, they will have a hell of a lot of upside with Giannis and whoever that player is. They could be the revese Sonics and move to Seattle and become everyone’s bandwagon team. 

[machu46Participant]

People need to give that up.  Unless the owner of Milwaukee dies and the team is just auctioned off to anyone, the team is not leaving Milwaukee.  Herb Kohl is looking for people to invest in shares of the team to keep the team in Milwaukee, and if that doesn’t work, he’s looking for a new group to buy the team outright under the condition that they will keep it in Milwaukee.  The Bucks are not going anywhere.

[machu46Participant]

People need to give that up.  Unless the owner of Milwaukee dies and the team is just auctioned off to anyone, the team is not leaving Milwaukee.  Herb Kohl is looking for people to invest in shares of the team to keep the team in Milwaukee, and if that doesn’t work, he’s looking for a new group to buy the team outright under the condition that they will keep it in Milwaukee.  The Bucks are not going anywhere.

[Lafferty DanielParticipant]

 Why the frack are we trying to compare him to Durant?  Let Giannis be Giannis.

[Lafferty DanielParticipant]

 Why the frack are we trying to compare him to Durant?  Let Giannis be Giannis.

[Author]

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