Bucks Zone

Giannis Antetokounmpo shakes off rust, helps Milwaukee bounce back with win in Detroit

Out of rhythm but the Greek Freak still delivered.

Matthew Dugandzic

© Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
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Giannis Antetokounmpo returned from a one-game absence and did just enough to help the Milwaukee Bucks defeat the Detroit Pistons on Saturday, 141-135.

While he was able to score 31 points, Giannis disclosed that he struggled to get into a good rhythm after playing just his first game in the last six days. The two-time MVP last played on Sunday night when the Bucks escaped with a 143-142 win over the Sacramento Kings. The Greek Freak was out with a shoulder injury when the Bucks lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, 95-135.

Erratic free throw shooting

The inactivity obviously affected Giannis as he committed five turnovers and missed half of his 22 attempts from the free-throw line.

“Obviously, six days, I wasn’t able to – because we played the other day, had a day off in between – wasn’t able to get my five versus five, any contact play," Antetokounmpo said. "So if you don’t have that kind of practice day, it’s hard to find your rhythm.”

Giannis delivers in the endgame

Despite being out-of-rhythm, Giannis was still able to produce, especially when the Bucks needed him the most. He scored five points in a 9-0 run in the fourth period that helped the Bucks turn a 117-121 deficit into a 126-121 lead.

The two-time MVP also had 10 rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and a block.

“I’m just trying to be aggressive, get back rhythm," Antetokounmpo said. "Yeah, there’s going to be sometimes I’m able, able to find a lane and go downhill and get in for a layup or for a dunk or find my teammate, but at the end of the day, I feel like when I’m at the best when the team is at their best, is when I’m aggressive and getting downhill, when I’m making plays when I’m being aggressive. But yeah, I think in the second half I was a little bit more; kind of got used to the speed of the game.”

Coach Adrian Griffin said Giannis’ aggressiveness gave the Bucks a huge lift as Milwaukee collared its third-straight win against Detroit this season.

“Giannis was big on both ends,” Griffin said. “He got us some stops at the start of the second half, and he was aggressive with the ball and getting to the rim. When he draws fouls, he gets us to the bonus faster than a lot of teams, and that's invaluable.”

Milwaukee will face Detroit again on Monday, and now that Giannis was able to shake off some rust, expect him to be more efficient.

Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo deliver, as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Detroit Pistons

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Matthew Dugandzic
MATTHEW DUGANDZIC

Matthew finished his bachelor's degree in Economics (Management) at the University of Split and got his master's degree in the same field at the University of Zadar. Whether it is playing the game as an undersized 6'3'' power forward or simply watching it, Matthew can't get enough of it. After all, he has been an avid NBA fan since the 2000s. But don't get him wrong, as Matthew still loves the old-school NBA and is a true student of the game. From on-court moments to off-court stuff, whether it's about the stars of modern-day basketball or legends of the game, Matthew covers every category of the NBA world and basketball in general, as long as it makes for an engaging and exciting story.