Bucks Zone

“I’ve got to enjoy the game more!” - Giannis Antetokounmpo on how to make himself more effective

Giannis Antetokounmpo talks about what he should do to be more effective.
Matthew Dugandzic|
“I’ve got to enjoy the game more!” - Giannis Antetokounmpo on how to make himself more effective
“I’ve got to enjoy the game more!” - Giannis Antetokounmpo on how to make himself more effective

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Milwaukee Bucks

Giannis Antetokounmpo thinks being too locked in is doing him more harm than good. And so, the Greek Freak intends to loosen up a bit so he could be more effective as the season progresses.

Antetokounmpo believes being too focused threw him out of rhythm in the early goings of their 107-99 win over the Denver Nuggets on Monday night.

Taking care of the ball

In that match–his second outing after missing five straight games, the former MVP wounded up with 33 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and three steals, but he also had nine turnovers in 31 minutes of action.

"I tried to enjoy the game. I feel I sometimes get too locked in. I think I've got to enjoy the game more," Antetokounmpo said.

Five of Antetokounmpo's errors came in the first quarter, which ended with the Bucks settling for a slim 27-26 lead against a Denver team playing without top guns Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, and Michael Porter Jr.

Getting right in the second half

A seemingly more settled Antetokounmpo showed up in the second half, and the bull-strong forward did his usual thing–scoring in the paint, assisting, and rebounding with fewer errors.

Antetokounmpo was also able to navigate in the paint effectively in the second half, enabling him to draw too many fouls from the Denver defenders. Overall, Giannis went to the free throw line 22 times, and 21 of them happened in the second half.

Antetokounmpo sank six free throws in the final 3:50 that helped the Bucks stave off the rallying Nuggets. The Greek Freak also had a crucial assist in the final 3:11 when he found Joe Ingles for a three-pointer that made it 102-92.

"Usually, when I enjoy the game more, I get to the free-throw line more, I get downhill more, I'm able to find my teammates more and just make better plays," Antetokounmpo said.

Seeing a more relaxed Antetokounmpo in the coming games is certainly not good news for opposing teams.

Published
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.