The funny thing is people act like he's shytting the bed against the Nets too, he's giving you 30 and 12. There's no way you can be "unskilled" playing in the best basketball league in the world and win MVP twice, that just wouldn't happen. He's not above criticism, I've said he has to improve on his decision making, needing to improve in the post. But it's just funny the way his peers sneak diss him on twitter.
100, we gotta stop misapplying the term "skilled". You can't be what Giannis is and do what he's done and not have basketball skills...
As others mentioned his lack of shooting is the major problem, and I think mostly because it appears he just
can't become a league average shooter. It isnt because he isnt trying, but thats why he should modify his game, or his coach should, or someone. In this 3-year run since his first MVP year, combining both regular and postseasons he takes around ~3.9 threes/game, hitting at a ~28.5% clip...
He really shouldn't be averaging more than two a game, he's not good enough to justify taking more. He's dominant when he gets in the lane so he needs to modify himself into being a more creative scorer in that area and the low post...
Another part of the "hate" against him is his game lacks creativity. He has the same 3 or 4 moves in his bag, and will continue those same limited moves even when ineffective. Its maddening to watch...
But most importantly for me and I think many others, his game continually declines in the postseason. This is a HUGE problem that deserves more prominence than it actually gets. He's a perennial All-Defense guy who won't check the hot hand and/or opposing superstar in gutcheck time (see Kawhi, Butler, Kev). Even if the blame "starts" with Bud for stubbornly sticking to his defensive principles even with house ablaze, the greatest players in the history of the sport would at least attempt to make an impact on the guy that's torching them...
To this point, there seems to be a fear of the moment and a little bit of doubt in himself, and he gives very questionable interviews in these situations. I really wish I could find the clip from '19 after the Raptors went up 3-2, they asked Giannis what the Bucks needed to do to force G7, and he gave a hot air nothing answer ending with "if we win, we win, if we lose, so be it", something to that effect. I've looked at him sideways since, then in the middle of a series against KD you out here saying "well he's Kevin Durant, he's supposed to do that", and "KD is the best player in the world"----->i mean bro, are you a fan or are you one of the greatest players in the world? He's basically admitted Durant is better than him and he doesn't know what to do to stop him, which we all know this is true, but we not the ones playing KD. He's lacking something that I can't quite put it on, there is a time and place to give it up for Durant but not in the middle of a series in the balance when you're supposed to show us you're That Guy...
Middleton falls on the sword for his deficiencies alot (so does Bud). And I'm not saying Middleton is a world-beater, he's probably best suited to being a 3rd option, but dude has bailed Giannis abd the Bucks out a number of times over the years. He's their closer, and at some point when your best player can't be your closer, you gotta ask yourself is he your best player...
There's more, but I think the main thing is Giannis just has to elevate. This is 3 years of this shyt. He puts up numbers because he's a playmaker, an elite rebounder, and takes most of his shots near the hoop, but clearly watching him we don't see the impact becoming of a guy with his level of accolades. Thats the major problem and if it doesn't reverse, particularly given he really isn't getting drilled as harshly as some of his peers, history/time will remember him more harshly because of it...
