Giannis Antetokounmpo reveals his honest feelings about teams playing the “Giannis Wall” defense to stop. The Bucks star laughs it off by taking it as a compliment.
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Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the most dominant players in the league. Because of his leadership, along with Khris Middleton, the Milwaukee Bucks have gone from being a lottery team to legit title contenders in a matter of few years.
The back-to-back MVP entered the league as a scrawny 6-foot-9 forward weighing around 190 pounds. Over the course of his career, Antetokounmpo has not only gained a couple of inches but has also put on a lot of muscle, now weighing 242 pounds.
Because of this transformation, Giannis is able to dominate on both sides of the floor. Being one of the stronger players in the league, the 5-time All-Star can drive to the basket at will, getting fouled and going on the charity stripe quite a few times in a single game.
There is not much any defender can do, when a 6-foot-11, 242-pound skilful player comes charging at you. Thus, over the last couple of years, teams have been using the “Giannis Wall” defense style, putting in several players in front of the Greek Freak, preventing him from entering the paint.
Giannis Antetokounmpo reveals his honest opinions on opponents playing the “Giannis Wall” defense
In this finals series against the Phoenix Suns, Monty Williams has used this similar technique, however, have not found any success so far. Instead have sent Giannis to the charity stripe an incredible 47 times in three games.
During an interview, Antetokounmpo revealed his honest opinions on playing against the “Giannis Wall” defense technique.
“The first time I saw the wall was probably two years ago,” Antetokounmpo said after Tuesday’s practice. “But I was always capable of passing before that. It’s something that I always liked to do. I had coaches and people throughout my career that helped me with finding the right guy, finding the right pass, making the right play. But once I started seeing the wall, two years ago, now it’s almost, it’s about trust. And it’s kind of hard because you want to be effective, you want to get downhill, you want to do everything.”
“And you take it personal, also. There’s a team that’s building the wall of three people and two guys behind and trying to stop you. Now you have to not take it personal and make the right play, find the right guy. I feel like I did that better since two years ago. … But I was always a capable passer before the wall was created. [It] is funny that there’s a defense out there called the Giannis Wall. It’s funny to me, you know?”
“You always got to find the fun factor. So, yeah, it is a compliment that there’s got to be three people in front stopping me from getting in the paint and building that wall.”
In the first three Games of this finals series, Giannis has simply been terrific. He has been averaging 34.3 points, 14 rebounds and 4.7 assists, joining Rick Barry, Allen Iverson and Shaquille O’Neal as the fourth player ever to have scored at least 100 points in his first three NBA Finals games.
With the Bucks trialling the Suns in the Finals 2-1, Giannis will be expected to have a few more of the dominant games he has been having so far.
