<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Giannis-Antetokounmpo-1.jpg"></figure><h1>4 trades Bucks would 100% do for Giannis Antetokounmpo (He’s not untouchable)</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-04-20T21:00:30-07:00">April 20th, 9:00pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-04-20T21:00:30-07:00">April 20th, 9:00pm</time><address><a>Isaac Doctor</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">Mini-Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>G<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/golden-state-warriors">olden State Warriors</a> head coach Steve Kerr was in the <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPointsApp/status/1383585659756048385" rel="noopener">news</a> recently for his comments on which NBA stars are genuinely “untouchable.” Kerr just had three names on the list – LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Giannis Antetokounmpo.</p><p>For the sake of argument, let us ask if Giannis is really untradeable? At 26-years-old, he is a two-time MVP and can legitimately be called a superstar. His rise has been meteoric from an unknown first-round pick coming out of Greece to one of the most unstoppable players in the league.</p><p>In 48 games this season, he has been averaging 28.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, six dimes, 1.1 steal, and 1.3 blocks on 56.4% shooting from the field. He is pretty much unguardable in one-on-one situations. The scary thing is, Antetokounmpo has not even peaked. He is still working hard on his shooting, which is his only Achilles’ heel but has als0 been one of the causes of his team’s exits in the postseason.</p><p>The Greek Freak is under a monster contract with the Milwaukee Bucks until the 2025-2026 season with the last year a player option. However, should Antetokounmpo decide to leave for greener pastures in search of a ring or for various reasons, below are four trades the front office should take.</p><p><b>1. Luka Dončić, SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks</b></p><p>From one European star to another. Dončić took the NBA by storm the moment he stepped on the hardwood as a 19-year-old. His game was much more matured than most analysts expected.</p><p>Using his craftiness and underrated athleticism, Dončić effortlessly creates his own shot and can light up the scoreboard on a nightly basis. With his incredibly high basketball IQ and understanding of the game, he sets his teammates up to make plays. He is also a strong rebounder for the position and is a threat to post a triple-double each game. This season, he has been putting up 28.6 points, 7.9 boards, and 8.7 assists.</p><p>He is talented enough to have a team built around him and at 22-years-old, he will make the Bucks win games in the present and the future. Also, his game should age better than Giannis Antetokounmpo’s will, since it is not as dependent on athleticism and physical tools.</p><p><b>2. Zion Williamson, PF, New Orleans Pelicans</b></p><p>When the basketball world first laid eyes on Williamson throwing down thunderous dunks for Spartanburg Day School, we knew a star was in the making. Fast forward to this season and Zion has been a force for the Pelicans, especially inside the paint.</p><p>In 53 games this season, he is averaging 26.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists per outing on a ridiculous 61.7% shooting from the field. While he is best known for his unreal leaping ability at 6’7, 284 pounds, his playmaking has been flying under the radar. </p><p>Williamson has his best basketball ahead of him and barring any serious injury, he should be a superstar. He is also one of the most marketable players out there. </p><p><b>3. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Boston Celtics, F</b></p><p>Tatum is an elite scorer, who can hit a shot from anywhere on the field. He has slowly been rounding out his game and has become a reliable passer and one of the most underrated defenders out there. His partner in crime, Brown has similar stats and just made his first All-Star team this season. </p><p>The two are ideal building blocks for any franchise and are just going to keep better. Only time will tell if they are good enough to be the best players on a championship team. </p><p><b>4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, G, Oklahoma City Thunder, and 10 first-round picks</b></p><p>Gilgeous-Alexander is the biggest question mark among all the players mentioned, but he does look like a future All-Star. He is a big guard capable of stuffing the stat sheet. The sheer amount of draft picks the Thunder to have is enough that even the most inept front office will find a star. </p><p>The Thunder have a mind-numbing <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/how-many-future-1st-round-draft-picks-do-the-thunder-have/" rel="noopener">17</a>, first-round draft picks until 2027, and a massive package like that could be enough to land Giannis Antetokounmpo.<br></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

4 trades Bucks would 100% do for Giannis Antetokounmpo (He’s not untouchable)

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/grizzlies-news-dillon-brooks-outjumps-giannis-antetokounmpo-for-massive-putback-dunk.jpg"></figure><h1>VIDEO: Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks outjumps Giannis Antetokounmpo for massive putback dunk</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-04-17T20:44:49-07:00">April 17th, 8:44pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-04-17T20:44:49-07:00">April 17th, 8:44pm</time><address><a>Paolo Songco</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Saturday night featured a marquee matchup for the Memphis Grizzlies as they took on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. For Grizzlies forward Dillon Brooks, it was an opportunity to showcase his insane hops against none other than the reigning league Most Valuable Player winner.</p><p>Here’s a look at Brooks outjumping Giannis for a monster putback slam off of a Ja Morant missed three (h/t <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz/status/1383621732750094345?s=20">Grizzlies</a> on Twitter):</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="de">HAMMER HEADTAPS. <a href="https://twitter.com/dillonbrooks24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">@dillonbrooks24</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GrzNxtGen?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">#GrzNxtGen</a> <a href="https://t.co/0tvzRq4020" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/0tvzRq4020</a></p><p>— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz) <a href="https://twitter.com/memgrizz/status/1383621732750094345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">April 18, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>Brooks timed his jump perfectly as he went for the rebound. Giannis knew he wouldn’t be able to grab the board so he instead decided to contest Brooks’ putback attempt. It did not end well for the Bucks star as he was placed on a (semi) poster by Brooks.</p><p>You can clearly see how delighted Brooks was with that highlight-reel dunk. He was absolutely pumped after the play. After all, it’s not every day that you get to throw the hammer down on Giannis Antetokounmpo.</p><p>Saturday’s matchup against Milwaukee was a big one for the Grizzlies. They’re barely hanging on to the eighth spot in the West right now, and the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/warriors-news-stephen-curry-matches-kobe-bryants-old-man-record-with-30-point-streak/">red-hot</a> Stephen Curry and his Golden State Warriors are chasing them like a rabid dog. A win here against Giannis and Co. would put some much-needed separation between the Grizzlies and the Dubs.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

VIDEO: Grizzlies’ Dillon Brooks outjumps Giannis Antetokounmpo for massive putback dunk

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/image_2021-04-16_205323.png"></figure><h1>Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo gets real on dilemma of sitting out games</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-04-16T05:56:26-07:00">April 16th, 5:56am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-04-16T05:56:26-07:00">April 16th, 5:56am</time><address><a>Mike Cruz</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Giannis Antetokounmpo made his return for the Milwaukee Bucks in their 120-109 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The reigning back-to-back MVP had missed six straight games prior to Thursday’s win due to a sore left knee.</p><p>After the contest, Antetokounmpo reflected on sitting out for a lengthy period. He revealed he took it in stride at first, but admitted his frustration as his absence extended further. At the end of the day, Giannis still took the sound advice from their medical staff well.</p><p><a href="https://twitter.com/eric_nehm/status/1382903375164026881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1382903375164026881%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fclutchpoints.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost.php%3Fpost%3D1099413action%3Dedit">Via Eric Nehm</a> of The Athletic:</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Asked by <a href="https://twitter.com/ZoraStephenson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">@ZoraStephenson</a>, how he handled being told to sit out six straight games, Giannis Antetokounmpo said:</p><p>"I think this is the first time in my career I kind of took it well because I was in pain. So, I was like, "OK, if you want me to sit out a game, I'll sit out a game."</p><p>— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) <a href="https://twitter.com/eric_nehm/status/1382903375164026881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">April 16, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"But then it was the 2nd game and then the 3rd game and then the 4th game and then you start getting frustrated. Then, with the Minnesota game, I was ready to play, but at the end of the day, you know they're going to make the decision based on my health and I gotta listen." – GA</p><p>— Eric Nehm (@eric_nehm) <a href="https://twitter.com/eric_nehm/status/1382903376384495616?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">April 16, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>Antetokounmpo scored 15 points on 7-of-12 shooting in his return outing. He also added five rebounds, two assists, and three steals in 25 minutes of work. Meanwhile, eight Bucks scored at least 8 points in the victory, with Jrue Holiday top-scoring with 23 markers of his own.</p><p>The Bucks are now winners of three straight games, following a three game losing slide in the stretch prior to this current winning streak. Milwaukee <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/milwaukee-bucks/records">still holds</a> the third seed in the Eastern Conference, trailing the Philadelphia 76ers and the Brooklyn Nets.</p><p>Over his past six games on the sidelines, Antetokounmpo has been the best cheerleader for his squad, bringing out crazy celebrations for his teammates. Still, as he revealed, being on the bench and not joining his brothers on the court certainly ate him up on the inside.</p><p>Nonetheless, it was probably the smart decision for the Bucks to keep their franchise superstar off the floor until he’s fully healed. Certainly, they would rather keep Antetokounmpo fresh and healthy when the playoffs begin.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo gets real on dilemma of sitting out games

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/giannis-1.jpg"></figure><h1>Giannis Antetokounmpo returns to Bucks lineup after six-game absence</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-04-15T15:41:59-07:00">April 15th, 3:41pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-04-15T15:41:59-07:00">April 15th, 3:41pm</time><address><a>Paolo Songco</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Milwaukee Bucks are finally getting their man back. It has just been confirmed that reigning back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo has been cleared to play for Thursday’s tilt against the Atlanta Hawks.</p><p>This report comes via <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1382822529904091136">Marc Stein</a> of the New York Times:</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Bucks say Giannis Antetokounmpo (left knee soreness) is back in the lineup after missing six games.</p><p>— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheSteinLine/status/1382822529904091136?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">April 15, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>Antetokounmpo returns to action after spending the past couple of weeks on the sidelines due to a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-news-giannis-antetokounmpo-real-condition-amid-5-game-absence/" rel="noopener">left knee injury</a>. There was some optimism that he was going to be able to take the floor on Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves but the team decided to play it safe with their superstar. Giannis was previously tagged as questionable to play on Thursday against the Hawks, but as it turns out, the 26-year-old has been deemed fit enough to make his much-anticipated return.</p><p>The Bucks did not do too well with Giannis on the sidelines. In the six games he missed, Milwaukee lost half of them. They suffered three consecutive defeats last week, which resulted in the Bucks losing ground on the top spot in the Eastern Conference. The Philadelphia 76ers are currently in pole position right now, with the Bucks (third) now trailing them by three and a half games as of Thursday afternoon.</p><p>With Antetokounmpo back, however, Milwaukee will want to make up for lost time. This starts with a tough test against the Hawks, who themselves have been playing some outstanding basketball this season.</p><p>The Bucks get Friday off, but they return to action on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. Whether or not Giannis will be available for that one remains to be seen.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Giannis Antetokounmpo returns to Bucks lineup after six-game absence

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 18px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px;    font-size: 16px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: #0000FF;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 16px;    text-decoration: none;}ul {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 16px;}ol {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    padding: 0px 0px 0px 15px;    font-size: 16px;    border-left: 2px solid black;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: #333333;    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 12px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;    background-color: #EFEFEF;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article><header><figure><img src="https://clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/bucks.jpg"></figure><h1>4 reasons Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are the true favorites in the East</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2021-04-15T15:24:58-07:00">April 15th, 3:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2021-04-15T15:24:58-07:00">April 15th, 3:24pm</time><address><a>Bryce Hendricks</a></address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Milwaukee Bucks were the Eastern Conference favorites last season before they got stunned by the Miami Heat in the second round of the playoffs. They were the best team in the whole league during last regular season, but they had a historic playoff collapse. Despite that collapse, the Bucks should still be considered a favorite in the Eastern Conference this season led by Giannis Antetokounmpo.</p><p>The Bucks currently sit third in the Eastern Conference standings <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/milwaukee-bucks/records">with a 34-20 record</a>. However, the Bucks are first in the Eastern Conference in terms of net rating, +6.5. They are an elite two-way team, playing at a similar level defensively as they did last year. The Bucks are perhaps in the best spot they have been in to win a championship.</p><h2>Reason #1) New-Found Versatility</h2><p>The Bucks had a major issue with versatility last season. They won in one way and only one way on both sides of the ball. They were a drop team on defense who couldn’t switch at all. This hurts their ability to guard pull-up shooting or players who could shoot off-movement. Offensively, they relied solely upon a fast-break offense headed by Giannis Antetokounmpo. They struggled to score in the half-court and it limited their utility in the playoffs.</p><p>The Bucks have made a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/sports/nba/milwaukee-bucks/roster">few additions that help them</a> with the versatility issue on both ends. The first big one is Jrue Holiday. Jrue makes a huge difference for the Bucks on both ends. He is another half-court creator next to Khris Middleton and Giannis and he is a switchable defender. More important to the switchability is the addition of mobile bigs PJ Tucker and Bobby Portis. Tucker and Portis can both play next to Giannis effectively, space the floor, and defend on the perimeter, giving the Bucks an extra element.</p><h2>Reason #2) Who Guards Giannis?</h2><p>This seems like an odd question to ask considering the outcome of last year’s playoffs, but it makes some sense this year. The Heat face a real uphill battle if they want to play the Bucks at any point in the playoffs and they were the team with the perfect personnel to guard Milwaukee. With the Heat lower in the standings, the Bucks will struggle to be guarded by any other top teams.</p><p>The Brooklyn Nets will struggle more than anyone else to guard the Bucks. They have no one to match up with Giannis in the post or on the break and they don’t have the bodies to build a wall as the Raptors did in the 2019 playoffs. the 76ers have Ben Simmons, who can give Giannis trouble, but they don’t play great transition defense and a weak defender will almost certainly have to be on one of Brook Lopez, Giannis, Middleton, or Holiday and that will create a solid mismatch for the Bucks to exploit.</p><h2>Reason #3) The Jrue Holiday Effect</h2><p>Jrue Holiday was an excellent addition for the Bucks this past offseason. Holiday does everything you could want from a third star on a championship team. He is an elite defender in isolation and at the point of attack, he can shoot spot-ups at a reasonable clip, and <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1382803390330179585">he can run</a> a competent offense as a point guard.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jrue Holiday’s playmaking ability has added an extra element to the Bucks’ potent offense! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBABreakdown?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">#NBABreakdown</a></p><p>BUCKS/HAWKS – Tonight at 7:30pm/et on TNT <a href="https://t.co/NfSbKjcB1b" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/NfSbKjcB1b</a></p><p>— NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1382803390330179585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" target="_blank">April 15, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p></p></figure><p>Holiday fundamentally changes the Bucks on both ends of the ball and he boosts them to a championship-caliber team. Holiday will allow them to switch in the crunch time and he can guard the best opposing player, whether they be a guard or a wing. Few NBA players have ever given James Harden and Kevin Durant the trouble that Jrue gives them. Offensively, he perfectly fills the role of a third star. He can run high-level pick and rolls with Giannis and Lopez while also stretching the floor when those two or Middleton go to work. His two-way flexibility is extremely valuable and turns the Bucks from a fringe contender to a legit one.</p><h2>Reason #4) Learning From the Past</h2><p>It can be often overlooked that the Bucks are a relatively young team compared to many contenders. This season is really only their second with any real expectations and they would do well to learn from last year’s mistakes. They were shown exactly what they’re likely to deal with in their series with the Heat and they will have to adjust to that type of competition this season.</p><p>The Heat were a versatile defensive group and they gave Giannis a lot of trouble. Mike Budenholzer will have to scheme more varied touches and not just run four-out, top of the key isolations for him. Jrue Holiday gives them an offensive element that Eric Bledsoe didn’t last year and they will have to take advantage of that luxury. They also refused to mix up their defensive coverage, even when the drop was being abused by the Heat’s shooting. The Bucks will need to be willing to switch more on defense and run more experimental line-ups out there. The Bucks could very well end up champions by the end of the season, but they will have to learn from past mistakes.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

4 reasons Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are the true favorites in the East

Chris Paul

Carmelo Anthony

Paul George

Damian Lillard

Giannis Antetokounmpo

Dwight Howard

Lonzo Ball

Klay Thompson

Pau Gasol

Blake Griffin

2020-21 AS MVP

5x All Star

4x All-NBA

2x MVP

3x All-Defensive

2018-19 MVP

2016-17 Most Improved

2019-20 Def. POY

2013-14 All-Rookie

2x All-Defensive

3x All-NBA

4x All Star

Milwaukee Bucks

Career

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Look good play good 👟🔥 Great team win 

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Sit back relax and enjoy the show🙏🏽 

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What is the teddy bear 🧸 on my shirt doing ?! 👀😂 

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2020-21 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
28.8	11.4	6.2	1.3	1.1

2020-21 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
28.8	11.4	6.2	1.3	1.1