Bucks Zone

“I don’t think I’m in a rhythm yet, I’m still chasing it” - Giannis Antetokounmpo underplays his body of work to start the season

Giannis is warning the NBA that this is not even his final form!

Matthew Dugandzic

© Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
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The Milwaukee Bucks are the only unbeaten team in the league after getting off to a strong 5-0 start. They’ve been clinical on both ends of the floor, with Giannis Antetokounmpo leading the charge. Additionally, the team has played together, which was on display during their recent win against the Atlanta Hawks.

Teammates’ efforts

The Bucks have looked stronger than ever to start the season, despite missing crucial players like Khris Middleton and Pat Connaughton. While most people expect Giannis to carry that load, multiple players on the team have stepped up – especially Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez.

“My team is just making it easy for me and I just try to be aggressive as much as I can,” Giannis said after the win against the Hawks. “But I’m not going to lie to you, I haven’t had that feeling - the feeling that I always have when I play big-time games.”

Although the Bucks’ offensive system is built around Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Lopez have been exceptional at contributing whenever required. Giannis has had first-half troubles in a couple of games, where others have filled in on the offensive end. Holiday has recorded two triple-doubles so far, showing how much of a factor he can be on a nightly basis.

Underplaying strong start

Antetokounmpo is off to a dominant start to a season for the second time in his career, averaging more than 30 points in a five-game stretch. The first time he did that was during the 2017-18 season, when he averaged 35 points and 10.6 rebounds – but lost two games in the process. This time, he’s unbeaten in five games – averaging 34.4 points and 14 rebounds.

“I don’t think I’m in a rhythm yet, I’m still chasing it, you know, I’m chasing that feeling,” Giannis said. “I want to help my team be great. I want to be as efficient as possible for this team. I want to win games.”

Giannis has an uncanny ability to flip the switch at will. He’s shown progress in terms of individual skill, showcasing a decent three-point shot, an improved mid-range shot, and improved passing ability. At the same time, he can recognize when the team needs him to focus on his strengths and attack the paint. At the rate at which he’s playing right now, it will be interesting to see how much better he can get as the season progresses.

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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.