What to Expect from Giannis Antetokounmpo in the 2017 NBA Playoffs

When the former NBA Commissioner, David Stern, called – struggling a little bit – the name of Giannis Antetokounmpo as the No. 15 pick in the 2013 Draft selected by the Milwaukee Bucks, there was almost no doubt that he would have the brightest future among the other talents who were part of that draft class. ESPN’s International basketball expert, Fran Fraschilla, talked about him as a kid that would turn into a great player by passing through a development program.

In his first three seasons, Antetokounmpo showed many flashes of his unlimited potential: he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team, gave Bucks fans an initial demonstration of his development, his numbers kept increasing year after year and – thing that sounds as fun as significant for his rise – he grew two inches, from 6’9” to 6’11”.

Therefore, when the 2016-17 regular season was about to start, the development program planned by the Milwaukee Bucks coaching staff had produced a 6-foot-11, all-around forward with a Kevin Durant-like body and good ball-handling ability to play the point forward position.

The result is a remarkable season. The Greek Freak has further elevated his level, making him one of the most talented players in the NBA at just 22 years old. Again, his stats keep rising significantly: this regular season, he led his team in points (22.9), rebounds (8.8), assists (5.4), blocks (1.9), and steals (1.6) per game, and became the youngest player in Bucks history to start in an All-Star Game, which proves that the do-it-all Antetokounmpo has already reached the NBA elite group. He also had 32 double-doubles and three triple-doubles. The cherry on the cake is that he has become the first player in NBA history to finish in Top 20 for total points (#14), rebounds (#15), assists (#18), blocks (#5), and steals (#9)… Is that enough for him to be named the NBA Most Improved Player? This year, there have been so many interesting candidates for this award, which has been getting more and more credit over the years, but Giannis is probably in pole position ahead of the others.

Antetokounmpo already has a one-year postseason experience as he and the Bucks clinched the #6 seed in the Eastern Conference and reached the playoffs in 2015, but were eliminated in the first round against the #3 seed Chicago Bulls in six games. At that time, Antetokounmpo was still a 20-year-old sophomore but made a decent impact in his first playoff appearances, averaging 11 points, seven rebounds, and almost three assists per game. He also had a double-double 25 points and 12 rebounds in game 3, lost 113-106 in double overtime.

Now, two years later, Antetokounmpo is the franchise player and can make the most of his previous playoff experience in order to make a great impact this upcoming postseason. The Bucks are again the #6 seed in the Eastern Conference but this time they will face the Toronto Raptors in a first-round series that will definitely be worth the watch. Toronto and Milwaukee met four times during the regular season, with the Bucks winning only the last game. Antetokounmpo led his team in all the four matchups, averaging 25 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 7 assists shooting an impressive 59% from the field.

Let’s check out the weapons, which are mostly connected with his awesome body, that Giannis Antetokounmpo can use to hurt the Raptors, by taking a look at some of his regular season matchup highlights.

In the previous clip, Giannis shows his ability to run the break and his great body control to finish in traffic with a slam dunk or a layup after no more than four or five dribbles thanks to his endless legs. While here are some flashes of Antetokounmpo playing the point guard at 6’11” (yes, he can play the point guard, and is as tall as Dwight Howard…) as he finds the open teammates who are ready to hit from beyond the arc.

Another key factor will be his capability to be efficient both in the paint and on the perimeter. Following, here’s Giannis Antetokounmpo posting up against shorter Raptors forward DeMarre Carroll. The Greek Freak uses his impressive length to attack strongly at the rim…

…Or create space for a fadeaway jumper.

In the next clip, Antetokounmpo shows how he can also make the most of his Empire State Building-esque standing reach to take mid-range jumpers off the dribble over Carroll and a much-respected shot blocker like Serge Ibaka.

Last but not least, take a look at Giannis Antetokounmpo protecting the rim, intercepting passes and then leading the fastbreak by using his long arms like they were tentacles. Ladies and gentlemen, here’s Giannis Antetokounmpo in Doctor Octopus version.

With that being said, what should the Milwaukee Bucks expect from their young leader in the first round of the playoffs?

First of all, Giannis will have to pick up from where he started in the regular season by putting on solid, all-around performances. As a point-forward, a very important factor could be how Antetokounmpo will be able to set the tempo for himself and get his teammates involved. The Toronto Raptors defeated Milwaukee three times out of four during the regular season and will have the home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs, so the Bucks will be mostly considered as the underdog team. But the Milwaukee Bucks are ready to fight, and Jason Kidd’s Swiss (or better, Greek) Army knife is going to lead them in a series that, rest assured, could emerge as one of the most intriguing to watch.