Giannis Antetokounmpo believes the Bucks have what it takes it win, but some serious adjustments need to be made first.
The Milwaukee Bucks dropped a tight game against the Nikola Jokic-less Denver Nuggets on Sunday to fall to 17-22 on the season.
It's been an up-and-down season for Milwaukee that's been characterized by long losing streaks and an inability to chain together winning ones but despite the middling success, Giannis Antetokounmpo believes there's potential in this Bucks team to play winning basketball and that they just aren't realizing it.
After the game, the issues seemed obvious to Antetokounmpo. He was adamant that himself and his teammates were generating the right opportunities for themselves when it came to shot selection, but that the execution to getting to and following through on those shots left something to be desired.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) controls the ball against Denver Nuggets guard Tim Hardaway Jr. (10) as forward Aaron Gordon (32) defends in the fourth quarter at Ball Arena. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images"I feel like we got a lot of shots. The passing wasn't good. I feel like there was so many shots where the guys got the ball at their feet or they got the ball up in the air, [they] weren't able to catch and shoot," Antetokounmpo said (via Bucks). "Overall, we got pretty much any shot we wanted if we had patience."
Milwaukee shot a healthy 41% from three and outshot Denver 45% to 40% from the field and in such a tight game, any missed opportunity shows in the box score. To Antetokounmpo, the shooting wasn't the issue. It was the overall playmaking that cost the Bucks opportunities at times that kept them from truly taking advantage of their hot hands throughout the game.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (32) controls the ball as Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) reaches for it in the third quarter at Ball Arena. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesLearning to Play Without Giannis
Another one of Antetokounmpo's frustrations is how helpless the Bucks have seemed without him.
The Bucks are 3-11 this season without their star player and in those games it became evident how much Milwaukee depended in him offensively. Without Antetokounmpo on the court, the spacing falls apart and there has been a clear inability to drive to the paint.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) controls the ball as Denver Nuggets forward Spencer Jones (21) guards in the first quarter at Ball Arena. Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn ImagesNow, even though that Antetokounmpo is active again, those issues come back up even if he's just sitting on the bench in between rotations.
Antetokounmpo would be happier if his team had a strnger game plan for when he isn't able t contribute and if his teammates could keep the appropriate adjustments in mind.
"We've got to be able to be mature, don't get comfortable with any lead that we get and understand how we need to play," Antetokounmpo said. "When Giannis [himself] isn't on the floor we've got to be more aggressive, more physical, we've got to move the ball more, we've got to be more decisive, get in the paint more. This is the time that we've got to go."