March Madness indicates many things. Upsets, the overuse of the term bracketology, the start of spring, the beginning of pickup basketball games you promised yourself you'd get in shape for.
But for NBA fans, it’s also a friendly reminder that the playoffs are only a stone's throw away. So, here at BasketballNews.com, we figured it was time to start preparing you for the game’s second season.
And to do my part, I have decided to spend the next month studying some of the NBA's biggest stars and (hopefully) prescribing some tips for how teams can try to slow them down this postseason.
But remember, these suggestions are only for slowing them down — because you can never truly stop the best of the best.
Now, without further ado: Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Almost three years ago, the Toronto Raptors infamously built a wall in front of Antetokounmpo’s path to the rim. The following season, the Miami Heat reinforced this structure on their way to a 4-1 gentleman’s sweep.
Last season, however, Antetokounmpo was able to overcome his postseason demons on route to an NBA championship and Finals MVP award, prompting some to wonder whether past defensive tactics were growing outdated.
To answer this, let’s think about why this barrier was concocted in the first place. Antetokounmpo’s preferred scoring avenues — cutting, rolling, isolating and running in transition — all enable him to gain one thing: momentum. Once he has this kinetic energy, he becomes a nearly unstoppable locomotive.
The key here is the word “nearly” because, as a certain smart person once said, “An object in motion stays in motion… unless acted upon by an unbalanced force.”
Enter, The Wall.
Looking back at last postseason, while they ultimately fell short (or long), the Brooklyn Nets did a great job of deploying this defensive stratagem against The Greek Freak:
This season, teams like the Heat, Celtics, Suns and Knicks have also experienced some success packing the paint in this manner and forcing him to settle for low-percentage shots:
The key here is you need need NEED the right personnel to make this work. Big, strong, physical guys who evaporate space and can’t be moved by Giannis’ overwhelming force.
If you look at some of the guys who have given him the most fits over the last two seasons (keep in mind matchup data can be finicky), you notice a trend in body structure:
Giannis Antetokounmpo Matchup Statistics from 2020-22:
Player |
FG Attempts* |
Field Goal %* |
Steven Adams |
39 |
38.5% |
Bam Adebayo |
38 |
42.1% |
Deandre Ayton |
39 |
41.0% |
Blake Griffin |
46 |
45.7% |
Julius Randle |
32 |
37.5% |
See what I mean? These are probably the five guys in the NBA (other than Antetokounmpo) that I'd least want to upset. Having a player who fits this physical archetype gives you a great foundation for that unbalanced force Newton was talking about.
Of course, this gameplan is far less bulletproof than it once was. Giannis has added some graceful counters to his drive game (the one I hyperlinked here would make Baryshnikov proud). And the kickout has become a much more viable option for him these days — thanks to the improved outside shooting the team has surrounded him with. The Bucks are currently sixth in the league in three-point shooting for the second-straight season after being 16th and 20th overall in 2019 and 2020, respectively.