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Giannis Antetokounmpo
Much has been made this weekend on social media about footage of Giannis Antetokounmpo shoving a ladder that toppled over at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Arena after a 102-110 loss to the 76ers. In a game where the Greek Freak struggled at the free throw line, making just four of 15 attempts with some shots not even touching the rim, a bit of extra practice immediately after the game was necessary. Arena staff and Philadelphia center Montrezl Harrell didn’t seem to agree, but nothing was going to stop Giannis from getting some much needed work at the line done.
Antetokounmpo’s struggles at the free throw line are nothing new, but first really became an issue in the 2021 playoffs, when crowds not unlike the one in Philadelphia on Friday got on his case about it. Giannis is 91 for 155 when it comes to free throws so far this year, making for a 58.7% average from the stripe. That is well below his career average, which is just over 70% since his debut. The missed free throws have especially played a factor in close games, and it doesn’t help that Milwaukee has dropped four of their last six contests after getting off to the hottest start in franchise history. Fortunately for Milwaukee, a return to Fiserv Forum, and a less noisy crowd at the free throw line, may be just what Giannis and the team need to get back on track. Here is what lies ahead.
Monday, November 21 vs. Portland (7 p.m., Bally Sports Wisconsin)
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The week begins with a Portland Trailblazers team that is sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference. Portland comes into Milwaukee on a four-game winning streak, including an overtime victory against the Phoenix Suns that was anchored by 41 points from Damian Lillard. Portland will likely be without their star guard, however, as Lillard strained his right leg on Saturday night in a loss to Utah. While the Bucks won’t meet Portland again until February, and they play in the opposite conference, this game will be important for Milwaukee, who will be looking to regain some momentum as they kick off their week-long homestand.
Wednesday, November 23 vs. Chicago (7 p.m., Bally Sports Wisconsin)
On the contrary to Monday night’s contest, the Chicago Bulls will travel north to Milwaukee on the night before Thanksgiving, and come into the week with a four-game losing streak. Chicago has lost six of their last seven, and are still without a component of their offense with guard Lonzo Ball. To make matters worse, guard Zach LaVine and coach Billy Donovan were at odds last week, after LaVine was benched with just under four minutes to go in what would be a one-point loss to the Orlando Magic on Friday. Things are said to be better between the star and the head coach, but it is apparent that the Bulls are struggling on and off the court ahead of Wednesday night’s matchup. Hopefully Milwaukee can capitalize on Chicago’s current struggles.
Friday, November 25 vs. Cleveland (7 p.m., Bally Sports Wisconsin)
The memories of the Bucks’ 113-98 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers last week Wednesday should hopefully still be fresh in both teams’ minds. They’ll run things back on Friday, with Cleveland returning to Fiserv Forum. Last time around, Giannis attracted attention in the paint, which freed up Brook Lopez to get hot from three-point range, leading Milwaukee in scoring with 29 points, 21 of which came from beyond the arc. That loss was the fifth straight for Cleveland, despite pacing Milwaukee in the East to start the year. While Milwaukee can’t rely on unbelievable shooting like they experienced from Lopez last week, they can capitalize on spreading the ball against a hampered Cavaliers defense.
Sunday, November 27 vs. Dallas (7 p.m., NBA TV)
The week closes out with a dual of international stars, as Giannis and the Bucks will host Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks on national television. While Milwaukee played Dallas twice last year, the two stars only met in the first contest, as Giannis was in COVID-19 protocols for their second meeting. Doncic, however, comes into Sunday’s game in top form, leading the Mavericks in points, assists, rebounds and steals, and currently leads the NBA in points per game. Interestingly enough, the away team won in both meetings between Milwaukee and Dallas last year, as well. Hopefully that won’t be the case this time around.
