as great as Giannis' stats are, there is a clear FORMULA to beat him and his teams

[ImKobe]

So a coach coaching for his job trying to tie up a playoff spot has this information you do and decides to let Giannis drop 40 and risk his career because the game doesn’t matter?

What exactly do you think teams watch year round in film sessions and talk about in game planning?

These usually defense obsessed coaches most of whom do not have great job security are losing games on purpose by not installing the obvious plans you can see from the couch....why?

Teams have way more time to prepare for an opponent/implement a game plan in the Playoffs, I don't see how this is news. He scored effortlessly on the Raptors in the first 2 games in the ECF and was then held to 20.5 ppg on 43.5%FG in 4 straight losses, including 12 points in 2OT in Game 3. Teams have the ability to key in and make adjustments in a series, that's not the case in the RS, where they're on road trips all season and playing different teams on B2B nights, and only a few teams have the coaching & players to actually pull it off to begin with. You could ask the same thing about David Robinson in the 90s. Somehow he dominated in the RS like Shaq but was constantly exposed by title contenders in the Playoffs.

[Kblaze8855]

An nba coach wouldn’t need any time to make as simple an adjustment as those ISH swears they could shut him down with. If it were as easy as making a wall or some of this shit the keyboard analysts here type he wouldn’t be scoring 30 a game to begin with.

If stopping someone like this were as easy as:

It's pretty simple, wall Giannis off from the rim.

He has no counter.

I don’t think Brad Stevens would have failed to notice.

[Roundball_Rock]

31/17/7 is being shut down?

[Bronbron23]

Man greek balled out but his team just isnt that good. Middletown is one of the worst all stars ever and after him theres not a whole lot to talk about. Yeah greek still needs to develop a better mid and post game but he could use a legit second star and or a much better supporting cast.

[Akeem34TheDream]

I think it has more to do with personnel you have. Raptors had success defending bigs last year but they werent that great at defending 3s.

[kuniva_dAMiGhTy]

Man greek balled out but his team just isnt that good. Middletown is one of the worst all stars ever and after him theres not a whole lot to talk about. Yeah greek still needs to develop a better mid and post game but he could use a legit second star and or a much better supporting cast.

Greek went the last 11 minutes without a single field goal.

He "balled out" except in the 4th quarter.

Beyond that though Vucevic picked him apart. And nearly played him to a statistical draw.

[Kblaze8855]

Did he?




I see about 26 points on Brook Lopez directly and maybe 5-7 on Giannis with 4-5 of that open jumpers on miscommunicated switches.

He get to the line on Giannis or what?

I will not say I watched that whole game. I was doing a dozen things. At a glance it looks like he had a plate of Brook Lopez. Would you disagree?

[NBAGOAT]

giannis needs to pass better. Too easy to load up on him

[Nashty]

Put him on the Mavs with Doncic and KP and they win 6 straight championships.

[Spurs m8]

i just can't rate players with such deficit and shortcomings in their game as the best in the league.

Haahhahahahahaahhahahahaha

Hahahahhahahahaahhahahhahahhhahahhaha

Hahaahahaahhahahahhahahahahhahahaahhahahhahha

[Axe]

Yes and Giannis' team actually won 2 games compared the ZERO games Shaq won in those 3 series combined.

I'm sure Giannis could have gotten some more points if they force fed him against the Raps, but the point of the game is to win the game.

Which series? The 2019 ecf? Lol they had a chance to force a game 7 in game 6 but they choked in the second half.

[Gohan]

Give him prime Iverson and they win chips

[SamuraiSWISH]

Just like pre-2012 Lebron. Play zone and force him to make decisions from the perimeter/take him out of the game completely. Raptors held Giannis to 20.5 ppg 43.5%FG in 39.7 mpg in the 4 straight wins, only scored 30 once in the series (12 points 8 TOs in the 2OT game). There's definitely a formula to stopping him, he hasn't improved his shot quite enough yet. If Middleton can't average an efficient 20, they're going to get bounced at some point.

To be fair LeBron was much better than Giannis right now. Better shooter, better IQ, and much better passer. There was more dimension to him. But everything else is spot on. All you need to do is zone up on his drive, and his constant traveling. Build a wall. He’s been rendered borderline useless the past several years.

That’s why Jordan and Kobe are just the perfect Apex predators.

They’re big guards, that can blow by the defenders, finish at the rim, but also had efficient post game and jump shots from mid range or even deep if necessary to create more unpredictability against the defense. They also didn’t need the ball in their hand constantly to have a presence on the court

[Kblaze8855]

All you need to do is zone up on his drive, and his constant traveling. Build a wall. He’s been rendered borderline useless the past several years.

Playoff Giannis from even 3-4 years ago would still make the hall of fame if it were his normal level. We are talking the difference between like....top 25ish and merely top 100ish.

[MrFonzworth]

He’s going to warriors after this season

I want to see it happen. Curry was fun to hate and Giannis needs a reason.