Lori Nickel
No matter how good Giannis’ other numbers are, Bucks will have to win at the free-throw line, too.
Giannis Antetokounmpo's confidence remains high, as it should. At the end of his seventh year in the NBA, after the 40th playoff game of his career, there was no reason to be rattled.
But a little frustrated? Maybe.
Free throws must be maddening at times. Because there is no move on the court the Milwaukee Bucks star can't make and no opponent out there he really fears.
But there is something about putting all that adrenaline on pause, setting his shoulders square behind
that line and taking a 15-foot uncontested shot. It's like the parting of the Red Sea and it's just so unnatural for someone who otherwise has to muscle his way through the currents and swells to get anywhere.
And at one lousy point apiece, a free throw sometimes hardly seems worth it. …
Except it is. Against the Miami Heat in Game 1 on Monday night, Antetokounmpo shot 12 free throws and only made four. One was an air ball. The Bucks lost.
Antetokounmpo had another good game, nearly a triple double in fact – 18 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists – but it was not his typical Herculean game. A couple of offensive fouls added to his turnover total of six. He completely lost the handle on one possession late in the game and looked almost in disbelief at the betrayal of his own hands. These things happen. The man played 36 minutes. Brought the ball up full court or started things out of bounds. A lot is asked of him by his team. Everything is thrown at him by his adversaries.
But the free throws. Those should fall around 75% of the time. Otherwise, they're a place of vulnerability.
Back in July, which feels like 10 years ago, Antetokounmpo had a similar rough patch. He was 7 of 12 vs. Boston (58%). A week later he was 7 of 14 vs Dallas (50%). He had three airballs. And his answer for it was simple: to work. Just get back in the gym and work. That's his identity and that's what he knows. He would work at it.
"When things don't go well – and when working hard is what you do best – that's what you go back to," said Antetokounmpo then.
And now, down one game in the semifinals, Antetokounmpo will have the same approach.
“I just take five dribbles and I shoot it,” said Antetokounmpo. He repeated: “Take five dribbles and I shoot it – miss or make – take five dribbles and I shoot it again.”
He will not tweak his free throw mechanics or work on the arc of the shot or play around with the number of dribbles. At least those are consistent now. He will not seek extra consultation from coaches. He will not overthink this.
“Giannis is just a worker, so I think he'll get in the gym,” said Bucks coach Mike Budenholzer. “He's just got to stick with his routine, stick with what he's been doing, continue to have a lot of confidence, continue to attack, continue to get to the free throw line. He's going to make them. We have total faith in him and he's going to continue to be aggressive and continue to work between now and the game and be prepared.”
But confidence has not been an issue in this area.
“No. I mean, he puts a ton of time in, he believes in himself,” Budenholzer said. “He's going to be good.”
Sometimes it's just ridiculous how high the expectations are on Antetokounmpo.
Some of that is because he's been so consistent at being incredible: The last time he was in single digits scoring? It didn't happen this season. He's only had seven games this season with rebounds in the single digits, as well.
Antetokounmpo's player efficiency rating is 34.68. Does that number mean anything to you? No? Well, it's the best in the league. And it's not really close.
It's because of this dominance that other teams have to find something to pick at. Physical Miami has been good at getting Antetokunmpo to turn over the ball.
Miami is going to try to double- and triple-team him in the paint and harass him relentlessly when he's facing the hoop. Look at Antetokounmpo's arms sometimes when his brother puts a social media post from the cold tub. There's long scratches. Monday night we saw swipes at his face and eyes, with defenders going for the ball.
When the refs reward him with a trip to the line, he knows he's got to convert more than 33%, not just to accrue points for his team, but maybe to get Miami to rethink its strategy.
And so that confidence right now in the free throw? He needs it.
“My confidence remains high at all times,” said Antetokounmpo. “That's who I am. I'm never going to change.”