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Giannis Antetokounmpo had a decent outing for the Milwaukee Bucks in Game 1 of the NBA Finals, but he knows he could have done better. After all, Milwaukee lost 118-105 as Giannis found himself struggling on the defensive end.
The Greek Freak admitted he had a hard time as a help defender because of the Bucks' switching. What made the task even more difficult for Antetokounmpo is the fact that the Phoenix Suns have several smart playmakers headed by the point god himself, Chris Paul.
Giannis Antetokounmpo said the Bucks' switching 1-5 makes it hard to judge when he can impact the game as a help defender. It's a more challenging read for that moment when the defense breaks down and he can come over. Also mentioned how many smart playmakers the Suns have.
— Kellan Olson (@KellanOlson) July 7, 2021
Antetokounmpo finished the game with 20 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, two steals and one block. He was critical for Milwaukee as they managed to stay close in the first half before the Suns took over and gradually built their lead in the last 24 minutes of action.
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Moreover, it is worth noting that the 26-year-old Bucks forward was the only starter to have a positive plus-minus box score rating (+1), which speaks volumes on his impact to the contest.
Despite his solid numbers, however, it is true that the game would have been much closer had Giannis Antetokounmpo and the rest of the Bucks did a better job in defending. Simply put, the Suns had their way on the offense all night long and Milwaukee did not adjust well.
It remains to be seen how Giannis and Co. will address their defensive issues come Game 2, but at least the Bucks know what they need to work on in order to steal one win on the road before going back home.
