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Milwaukee Bucks: The improved efficiency of Giannis Antetokounmpo

By Matthew Hallett

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 29: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks over Rodions Kurucs #00 of the Brooklyn Nets during a game at Fiserv Forum on December 29, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - DECEMBER 29: Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks dunks over Rodions Kurucs #00 of the Brooklyn Nets during a game at Fiserv Forum on December 29, 2018 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /
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The Milwaukee Bucks are one of the hottest teams in the NBA right now. The improved efficiency of Giannis Antetokounmpo is a big reason for this.

Since Mike Budenholzer became coach of the Milwaukee Bucks, they have gone from a middle of the road Eastern Conference team to a top-tier team in the NBA. A big part of this has been the increased accuracy from the perimeter, but that is only part of the story. The interior beast that is Giannis Antetokounmpo has been the true driving force.

There is no question that the floor has opened up for the Greek Freak. The shooting of Malcolm Brogdon, Brook Lopez and Khris Middleton has to be respected. You can’t leave Eric Bledsoe open either, as he will blow by you or pull up for the jumper. This leaves most teams guarding Antetokounmpo man on man, which is the same as trying to hold a river back with a toothpick.

The Bucks star is having his best season yet, averaging 26.6 points, 12.8 rebounds, 6.1 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. Of these numbers, the rebounds and assists are career highs, which is even more impressive when you take into account Antetokounmpo is putting these numbers up in only 33.6 minutes per game. He has not played so few minutes per game since his second season, where he averaged 31.4 minutes a night.

Drilling down to his per 36 minutes numbers, there is quite an improvement. Last season, which was statistically his best, Antetokounmpo averaged 26.3 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists per 36. Fast forward to this season and he is averaging 28.3 points, 13.5 rebounds and 6.4 assists per 36. This is huge for the Bucks, who revolve the offense around their star.

However, the impressive numbers do not stop there. Antetokounmpo is shooting a career-best 58.6 percent from the field. If you take away his 3-point shooting, which is 15.4 percent, Antetokounmpo is shooting at an insane 65.6 percent from inside the arc. A big part of this is his ability to get the ball near the rim, most of the time with only one player to beat.

As a result, Antetokounmpo is dunking the ball at a career best rate of 41.9 percent of total shots taken. In just 33 games, Antetokounmpo has dunked the ball 138 times. For the whole season last year, he dunked the ball 161 times, so he will easily surpass that. His best season at the rim was 194 dunks back in the 2016-17 season. At his current rate, Antetokounmpo will have passed that number in 47 games.

This also shows just how dominant in the paint Antetokounmpo is. In the restricted area, he is making 8.2 field goals on 10.7 attempts meaning he is shooting at 76.5 percent from under three feet, per NBA.com. That is 16.4 points per game from the highest percentage area on the court. No wonder the Bucks’ second-ranked offense is so hard to stop.

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Clint Capela of the Houston Rockets is second with 6.7 made buckets in the same area but is only shooting at 68.9 percent from 0-3 feet, per NBA.com. His points usually get served up on a platter be either James Harden or Chris Paul, and he is still only 68.9 percent. This shows just how special the performance of Antetokounmpo is and it also shows that the Milwaukee Bucks are a true inside/outside threat, which is the hardest offense to guard in the entire NBA.

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