Giannis on Missed Game-Tying FT vs. Celtics: 'You Learn from Every Situation'
Dec 24, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo plays against the Boston Celtics during the second half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo said he's "upset" he missed a potential game-tying free throw in Wednesday night's 122-121 season-opening loss to the Boston Celtics, but he's hopeful it's a learning experience.
"Hopefully when I'm in the same position, I can make the next one," Antetokounmpo told reporters. "That's the mentality you've got to have. But obviously there's a little bit of a weight on your shoulders because, if you miss, that's it for your team. I'm a winner, and I want to do whatever it takes for my team to win. But, you know, you learn from every situation that basketball puts you in."
The two-time defending NBA MVP was terrific for most of the contest. He finished with 35 points, 13 rebounds, two assists and two blocks in 36 minutes.
Things didn't fall Giannis' way in the game's final seconds, though. He switched on to Jayson Tatum during the Celtics' final offensive possession, and Tatum proceeded to bank in a long three-point attempt over the outstretched arm of the reigning NBA Defensive Player of the Year to give Boston a two-point lead.
Tristan Thompson then fouled Antetokounmpo with four-tenths of a second left. He hit the first free throw but couldn't tie the game, and the clock ran out.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=259RPKi9a6U
His performance at the charity stripe has been one of the few issues throughout the four-time All-Star's career. He's shot 72.2 percent from the line across his seven-plus NBA seasons, and that figure dropped to a more concerning 63.3 percent during the 2019-20 season.
The 26-year-old Greece native made six of his eight free-throw attempts (75 percent) against the Celtics, but he missed the most important one of the night.
Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer told reporters:
"I love that he's there, game on the line, opening night, going to the free-throw line. He's been working on it. He knows how important it is. I think it's, again, of course, we would love to win, you want to come out, you want to have success, but there's so many good things that happened, including Giannis going to the free-throw line with the game on the line. You can't duplicate that in practice, and he's just going to get better and better as we go forward."
Antetokounmpo added he won't shy from trying to draw fouls late in the game despite Wednesday's high-profile miss:
"I want to be in those moments. I want to [have the ball] down the stretch. I want to shoot the last two free throws, I want to shoot the last shot, because if you think about it, if you do that a thousand times, some of the times it's going to go in. Some of the times, you're going to be the hero. And, some of the times, you're going to miss. But you learn from it."
The Bucks return home to the Fiserv Forum as they look to score their first win of the season in Friday's Christmas Day clash with the Golden State Warriors.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Bucks Can't Keep Running into the Wall
Dec 23, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo plays against the Boston Celtics during the first half of an NBA basketball game, Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
This isn't so much about the Bucks' 122-121 season-opening loss to the Boston Celtics. They are contenders again, so they shouldn't get bent out of shape over a single defeat—especially not one produced by a banked-in Jayson Tatum game-winner.
The issue is that so much of what led to the Bucks' last two disappointing playoff ousters undid them against the Celtics. And, yes, we're about to dig in and criticize a two-time MVP and the team he's led to a 116-39 record over the last two regular seasons.
It feels ridiculous to suggest Giannis and the Bucks need to change, but it was impossible to suppress that thought Wednesday, particularly during the first three quarters of action. During that chunk of the game, Antetokounmpo racked up charges and turnovers with reckless, head-down drives.
Marcus Smart stood in and took three Giannis bull-rushes to the chest all on his own. Savvy second-year forward Grant Williams absorbed the fourth. In all, Antetokounmpo coughed the ball up seven times on the night. Nearly every turnover stemmed from a toxic combination of too much aggression and too little schematic variety.
If it didn't seem like Giannis preferred to attack this way, you might conclude he was making the best of a bad offensive situation. But now more than two years into Milwaukee's tenure as theoretical contenders, we know both player and team share the blame.
We've seen all this before, and we know where it ends: with the Bucks getting "solved" and eliminated in the playoffs.
Broadly, Antetokounmpo looked like the same dominant-but-flawed player he's been over the last handful of seasons. He often physically overwhelmed the Celtics; some of those head-down drives during the first three quarters worked. But his choppy, hesitant three-point attempts looked as uncomfortable as ever, and we've buried the lede by waiting until now to mention that Giannis, whose free-throw shooting became a massive point of concern last year, front-rimmed what would have been the game-tying freebie with four-tenths of a second left in the game.
That gets us to a paradox: "Same old Giannis" felt somehow disappointing, but he might win a third MVP anyway.
Maybe this is just what happens with a player who improves as dramatically as Giannis. It warps our expectations. We assume that because he turned himself from a painfully thin, positionless (when that used to be a bad thing) question mark into a human exclamation point that there's no upper limit on his growth.
He can dunk with one dribble from the logo? Well, why can't he shoot 40 percent from three?
And relatedly:
The Bucks can win 60-something games and dominate on both ends during the regular season? Well, why can't they waltz through the playoffs to a title?
It's possible Antetokounmpo and the Bucks have reached their limits, but there was evidence in the fourth quarter that further development could be ahead.
In that frame—Giannis' critical missed free throw excluded—he and the Bucks really did look a bit different.
Chalk it up to desperation if you want, but it remains true that Giannis pumped in 18 points in the fourth, hauling Milwaukee back into a game it trailed by 17 at the end of the third. Antetokounmpo piled up those points via a few of his typical "Eurostep into contact" attacks, but he also knocked down a pair of threes, scored against the smaller Jaylen Brown down low in some designed post-ups and cannily split a perimeter trap to dime up Donte DiVincenzo for an uncontested lay-in.
All told, Giannis finished with 35 points and 13 boards—career-night numbers for the majority of NBA players, and yet somehow a letdown. He finished a one-point loss with a minus-one plus/minus. Those numbers are always noisy, but there's something that feels right about that "not quite enough" statistical assessment.
The challenge for Antetokounmpo and the Bucks will be balancing all of the qualities that got them to this point—perseverance, aggression and rigid adherence to a scheme that works—with the acknowledgement that relying solely on those things will produce a disappointingly familiar outcome.
It's overdramatic to say the Bucks must adapt or die. They'll win a ton of games if they don't change a thing. But they almost certainly can't win the biggest games, the ones they desperately need and the ones so many observers feel they should have won already, if they don't change.
Back in September, when Giannis answered questions about leaving Milwaukee following yet another early postseason exit, he told Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes: "It's not happening. Some see a wall and go in [another direction]. I plow through it."
A humble suggestion for Giannis and the Bucks if they'd like this year to be different than the last two: Maybe think about going around that wall every once in a while.
Jayson Tatum Buzzer-Beater Gives Celtics Win vs. Bucks; Giannis Misses Tying FT
Dec 23, 2020
Boston Celtics' Jayson Tatum (0) shoots over Milwaukee Bucks' Brook Lopez (11) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
The Boston Celtics wasted no time notching an incredible result in the 2020-21 season.
Jayson Tatum banked home a three-pointer over the outstretched arms of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the final second to give last season's Eastern Conference runner-up a dramatic 122-121 victory in Wednesday's potential playoff preview at TD Garden. Even with that shot, Antetokounmpo had a chance to force overtime for the Milwaukee Bucks with two free throws with 0.4 seconds remaining just to leave one short.
Tatum and Jaylen Brown led the way for the victors, who were without Kemba Walker and held off a late charge from the Bucks.
Milwaukee, which is aiming to finish with the best record in the NBA for the third consecutive season, overcame a 17-point deficit in the fourth quarter just to watch Tatum win it during a frantic finish.
The Bucks had quite the busy offseason, as they locked up Antetokounmpo on a supermax, brought in Jrue Holiday andlosta draft pick after a failed sign-and-trade for Bogdan Bogdanovic.
While they moved Eric Bledsoe and George Hill in the Holiday trade and were unable to add Bogdanovic, this remains one of the best rosters in the NBA. Giannis is the two-time reigning MVP, Khris Middleton is an All-Star second option and Holiday is a veteran leader who can anchor the perimeter defense and either score or set up his teammates on the other end.
Even with Donte DiVincenzo scoring in the early going, Middleton stuffing the stat sheet as he battled for rebounds in small-ball lineups and Holiday finding holes in the lane, the Bucks were still down 17 going into the fourth quarter because of poor play from their leader.
Much like the Toronto Raptors and Miami Heat did in the last two playoffs, Boston swarmed Antetokounmpo with multiple defenders when he barreled his way into the lane. Marcus Smart in particular was a problem for the MVP with his ability to reach in, create turnovers and draw offensive fouls.
The result was seven turnovers for Antetokounmpo, but that didn't stop him from going into takeover mode in the fourth quarter.
He powered his way through those additional defenders, dished his way out of double-teams and hit multiple threes when the Celtics backed off. His mid-range jumper gave Milwaukee the lead with less than four minutes remaining and set up the back-and-forth finish that included a Holiday triple to go up heading into the last minute.
Despite the incredible individual effort, Giannis' performance will still largely be defined by his missed free throw at the end. At least the Bucks can take solace in knowing their MVP can still take over a game against a fellow Eastern Conference contender even if he couldn't convert on his final shot.
Brown and Tatum Save Celtics from Collapse
It didn't take long for the Celtics to face adversity with Kemba Walker sidelined with injury, which put the pressure firmly on the shoulders of the one-two punch of Tatum and Brown.
Yet new Boston point guard Jeff Teague, who figures to be a major part of the game plan as long as Walker is out, made the biggest mark in the early going by darting through the lane, hitting from the outside, creating turnovers and finding open teammates.
His impressive play continued into the third quarter with back-to-back threes, while Tatum found his stroke after a slow start and Brown continued to smoothly slice through Milwaukee's defense.
Tristan Thompson and Daniel Theis also provided physicality down low, and it appeared as if the Celtics would cruise to an easy victory when Tatum drained a three-pointer over Giannis at the end of the third quarter.
Boston played those opening three quarters with notable pace and took advantage of the open looks its defense created by forcing so many turnovers. Brown was also the best player on the floor for extended stretches and seemed to glide into openings as his team was in firm control.
And then the fourth quarter happened.
The shots that fell when the Celtics scored more than 30 points in each of the first three quarters started rimming out, Giannis started playing like an MVP and their commanding lead disappeared in a matter of minutes.
Fortunately for Boston, Tatum hit a pull-up jumper, a mid-range look and his final three-pointer in the last three minutes, while Brown hit a key layup in the lane to pull even. The one-two punch is among the best in the league and survived quite the haymaker from the NBA's reigning MVP.
What's Next?
Both teams are home Friday when the Bucks tip off against the Golden State Warriors at 2:30 p.m. ET and the Celtics play the Brooklyn Nets at 5.
NBA Rumors: Giannis, Damian Lillard Discussed Possibility of Playing Together
Dec 22, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo, left, dribbles past Portland Trail Blazers guard Damian Lillard during the first half of an NBA basketball game in Portland, Ore., Tuesday, March 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Craig Mitchelldyer)
Prior to signing his supermax extension with the Milwaukee Bucks, Giannis Antetokounmpo discussed the prospect of teaming up with Portland Trail Blazers star Damian Lillard, according to Yahoo Sports' Chris Haynes.
Haynes reported that Antetokounmpo and Lillard discussed how it might work for each other on their respective teams. Haynes also said Portland would've been a "real target" if Giannis had reached the decision to leave Milwaukee.
While NBA Commissioner Adam Silver hasattempted to crack downon tampering, players are generallyfree to talkamong themselves about suiting up for the same team.
Anthony Davisconfirmedhe had spoken with Paul George about a move to the Indiana Pacers while George was still a member of the franchise. Howard Beckreported for B/R in July 2019 that Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving had decided well before officially signing with the Brooklyn Nets that they were going to join forces.
It seems reasonable to posit Lillard wasn't the only star who made contact with Antetokounmpo because it would've been foolish for others not to do so.
The most interesting aspect of Haynes' report is the idea that the Blazers might have been a serious threat to land the two-time reigning MVP. Portland generally isn't a marquee free-agent destination despite the pretty consistent success it's had over the past decade and change.
Of course, there were multiple steps between Lillard and Antetokounmpo possibly working out together and actually playing alongside one another. As fun as a Dame and Giannis pairing would be to watch, the idea doesn't seem to have gotten off the ground, and now Antetokounmpo is staying with the Bucks for the foreseeable future.
The 1 NBA Game to Watch Every Night for the Rest of 2020
Dec 22, 2020
Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (23) and Los Angeles Clippers' Kawhi Leonard (2) chase the ball during an NBA basketball game between Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Clippers, Wednesday, Dec. 25, 2019, in Los Angeles. The Clippers won 111-106. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)
The new NBA season begins Tuesday night, a little more than two months after the conclusion of the Orlando bubble. Highlights of opening week include a TNT doubleheader tonight and five games on Christmas Day.
The 2020-21 schedule is 72 games, with each team back in its home arena (except the Raptors—more on them later). The presence and number of fans will be determined by teams and cities throughout the season.
We want to be your guide for the next several nights as your favorite teams and players return to the court. We've selected the single game every day that will be most worth your time to watch, beginning tonight and ending New Year's Eve.
Many games below will be on national television, and others will be on NBA League Pass. You can watch live games all season with NBA League Pass on B/R Live, including a free preview week running through Dec. 29. Learn more here.
Note: All tipoff times Eastern
Tuesday, Dec. 22: Clippers at Lakers | 10 p.m. on TNT
This choice was a slam dunk: The defending champions open their season back in Los Angeles against their intracity rival.
LeBron James and Anthony Davis signed contract extensions in the offseason, and the Lakers added significantly to their supporting cast. Dennis Schroder, Wesley Matthews and Marc Gasol will all play key minutes in the rotation. But their biggest move hits right at the heart of this rivalry: Reigning Sixth Man of the Year Montrezl Harrell has switched allegiances, jumping from the Clippers' red and blue into the famous purple and gold.
LeBron & AD are one of the most unstoppable duos when running the floor together 💯 https://t.co/a705j6V3aF
That hurdle is just one more challenge the Clippers will have to overcome after crashing out of the playoffs in the bubble. Kawhi Leonard is back, Paul George just signed a large extension, and, in another twist to the rivalry, Ty Lue, James' former coach in Cleveland, now leads the Clippers. With Patrick Beverly and Lou Williams back as well, the Clips still look great on paper. But with the way both teams finished last season, we learned once again that teams are ultimately judged on playoff results, not regular-season wins or hype.
The battle for L.A. is the second half of TNT's opening-night doubleheader. It will be preceded by Warriors vs. Nets in Kevin Durant's first official game back from injury and against his former team. And it will be followed by the season's first Inside the NBA, with Ernie, Kenny, Shaq and Charles.
Wednesday, Dec. 23: Dallas Mavericks at Phoenix Suns | 10:30 p.m. on ESPN
What does Luka Doncic do for an encore? The Mavs star won Rookie of the Year and then jumped to a first-team All-NBA selection in his second season. He'll have a heavier load on his shoulders to start the season, with running mate Kristaps Porzingis recovering from a torn right meniscus sustained in the playoffs. Dallas had the highest offensive rating in the league last season, so we know it'll be entertaining.
And it will start with a fun opener against a young and exciting Suns team, the darlings of the bubble after winning all eight games there and narrowly missing the play-in series. Devin Booker was a breakout star in Orlando.
He'll be joined this season by veteran Chris Paul, giving Phoenix one of the best backcourts in the NBA. Wednesday will be Paul's team debut. He'll bring some leadership to a youthful roster, much like he did in guiding the Thunder to a surprise playoff appearance last year.
Friday, Dec. 25: Golden State Warriors at Milwaukee Bucks | 2:30 p.m. on ABC
NBA fans are spoiled this week, with the marquee games of opening night and Christmas Day only three days apart. While the Christmas slate is awesome from top to bottom (see below), we had to pick Warriors-Bucks, especially after back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo signed his supermax extension with Milwaukee last week, the largest contract in NBA history.
Christmas will be the Greek Freak's first home game after reaching the deal. And the fact that it comes against Golden State, a team long rumored to be a 2021 free-agent destination for him, is chef's kiss.
Speaking of the Warriors, they're back after a forgettable run last season defined by injuries. Klay Thompson will unfortunately miss another year with an Achilles injury, but Steph Curry returns, and we'll get to see how he, Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins and No. 2 overall draft pick James Wiseman work on the floor together.
It will be interesting to see if and how they're able to regain the swagger and confidence that helped them make five straight NBA Finals appearances. Christmas against the Bucks will be a great early indicator.
Saturday, Dec. 26: Atlanta Hawks at Memphis Grizzlies | 5 p.m. on NBA TV
This matchup is another easy sell: Trae Young vs. Ja Morant.
The reigning Rookie of the Year and the Grizzlies nearly made the leap from lottery to the playoffs last year, falling to Portland in the play-in series. Memphis is still a young team in the supercompetitive West. Morant and his supporting cast—Jaren Jackson Jr., Dillon Brooks, Jonas Valanciunas—will need to take the next step in order to reach the play-in round again or finish high enough to avoid it completely.
Atlanta finds itself in a similar position trying to reach that next level in year three with Young. The Hawks played at one of the fastest paces in the league but were among the worst shooting 3-pointers and on defense, which was too much to overcome even with Young earning an All-Star appearance and John Collins averaging 20 and 10.
There are two pieces of good news for Hawks fans. The team addressed those deficiencies with free-agent signings Bogdan Bogdanovic, Danilo Gallinari, Rajon Rondo and Kris Dunn. They play in the East, where, although it's gotten deeper in recent seasons, it still likely won't require a team to be above (or even at) .500 to qualify for the playoffs. So, like Memphis, Atlanta will have higher expectations for this season but will also be learning on the fly on how to reach them.
Sunday, Dec. 27: Brooklyn Nets at Charlotte Hornets | 7 p.m. on NBA TV
This game will be just Durant's third since he injured his Achilles, signed with the Nets and sat out last season while recovering. Regardless of any rooting interest, it's great having Durant back healthy and getting buckets.
Also, Brooklyn is going to be fascinating. There is Durant's return, the Kyrie Irving experience, Steve Nash's debut season as a head coach, and the fact that the Nets were actually pretty good last season when both stars were out of the lineup. Brooklyn might not have a dull moment all year, for better or worse.
There is a lot of upside in Charlotte, which signed Gordon Hayward, drafted LaMelo Ball and return "maybe should have won Most Improved Player" Devonte' Graham. Ball and Graham will be an energized backcourt to pair with the high-flying Miles Bridges for a core that should have chairman Michael Jordan excited. Charlotte finished 10th last season and would qualify for the play-in series at that spot this year in a realistic expectation in the East.
Monday, Dec. 28: Houston Rockets at Denver Nuggets | 9 p.m. on NBA League Pass (stream free here)
Is James Harden still on the Rockets? Will James Harden be on the Rockets for this game next Monday?
The Beard's apparent insistence on getting out of Houston has been one of the most dramatic sagas of this short offseason, one that also included his team making the blockbuster Russell Westbrook-for-John Wall trade. Regardless of how things shake out with Harden, the Rockets reunited college teammates and friends Wall and DeMarcus Cousins and added rising star Christian Wood. Houston might be one of those teams you can't take your eyes off.
On the other side, Denver seems poised to improve upon its bubble breakthrough, when Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic put up some of the best performances of their careers. The Nuggets reached the conference finals after becoming the first NBA team to come back from two 3-1 series deficits in the playoffs. They return their entire core and look like they're about to unleash Bol Bol, who along with Jokic give them two 7-footers with do-it-all skill sets, which seems unfair.
If Harden sticks with Houston, this game could be a high-scoring, back-and-forth shootout. Sign us up.
Tuesday, Dec. 29: Toronto Raptors at Philadelphia 76ers | 7 p.m. on NBA League Pass (stream free here)
The Doc Rivers era begins in Philadelphia, where he will be tasked with taking the duo of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to the next level. The Sixers underachieved last season and were swept in the first round by the Celtics, leading to the Rivers hire. Philadelphia added some much-needed shooting help for Simmons and Embiid, bringing in Seth Curry and Danny Green. This matchup against the Raptors will be a good first-week measuring stick.
And Toronto will be in a unique position throughout the season. The 2019 champs will play their home games in Tampa, Florida, because of Canada's pandemic restrictions on travel into and out of the country. The Raptors re-signed Fred VanVleet but lost veteran big men Serge Ibaka and Marc Gasol in free agency, but just like after the departure of Kawhi Leonard, you cannot dismiss this squad. Reigning Coach of the Year Nick Nurse and point guard Kyle Lowry provide excellent leadership. While the Raptors don't have a ton of flash, they play soundly on both ends and are a great team to watch simply to see good basketball.
Wednesday, Dec. 30: Milwaukee Bucks at Miami Heat | 7:30 p.m. on NBA TV
Milwaukee and Miami meet after the Heat upset the Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals last season. This game will be the second between these teams in as many nights, an example of the NBA's new "series scheduling" this year to help reduce travel. Milwaukee will likely be looking to make an early statement against Miami to get some revenge for those playoff defeats.
Jimmy Buckets: The most interesting man in the league.
For the Heat, everything runs through Jimmy Butler. After winning the East last year and making the Finals, Miami probably won't sneak up on anyone sort of like they did in the bubble. The emergence of Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro to go along with veterans Goran Dragic, Andre Iguodala, and the newly signed Avery Bradley give the Heat a real chance to return to the Finals once again under coach Erik Spoelstra.
Thursday, Dec. 31: New Orleans Pelicans at Oklahoma City Thunder | 8 p.m. on NBA League Pass (stream here)
You all didn't think we would get through this guide without Zion, right?
The phenom enters his second season fully healthy and without a minutes restriction, setting up New Orleans to take advantage of its talented young core—Williamson, Lonzo Ball and 2019-20 Most Improved Player Brandon Ingram—despite the trade of Jrue Holiday. The Pelicans also have a new coach in charge, Stan Van Gundy, and playoff expectations.
The Holiday trade also sent Steven Adams from the Thunder to the Pelicans, so he'll make his first return to OKC in this game. It's easy to say that Oklahoma City has gone into a full rebuild after trading Russell Westbrook, Paul George, Chris Paul and Adams in the past two offseasons.
But even with their meme-worthy amount of first-round picks over the next few years, they're not tanking (at least not yet). OKC has a gem in shooting guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to go with breakout guard Lu Dort and veterans George Hill and Al Horford. Another playoff run will be tough in the West, but this team, especially SGA, will be fun to watch and develop.
The NBA season starting on Dec. 22 is a weird thing to type. But here we are, on the cusp of a season played spread across the U.S. despite a raging pandemic (sorry, Toronto)...
The 2020-21 NBA season will be a journey like none before it. The schedule has changed. The arenas have changed...
Rudy Gobert, Jazz Agree to Historic 5-Year, $205M Contract Extension
Dec 20, 2020
Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert (27) during the second half of an NBA preseason basketball game against the Los Angeles Clippers Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez)
The Utah Jazz have locked down center Rudy Gobert with a five-year, $205 million extension, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.
"It means that they believe in me," Gobert said. "They believe in what we've been building over the years with this whole organization, with coach [Quin Snyder] and all the guys. For me, it's an incredible blessing. It's a very motivating feeling to know that we all share the same vision and we all share this goal for this state and for this franchise."
The Jazz also celebrated the deal in a video narrated by Boris Diaw:
Gobert was eligible for a supermax of $228 million over five years but said he left money on the table to help the team's flexibility going forward.
With the Jazz also signing Donovan Mitchell to afive-year extension last month, the team has now secured its two biggest stars through at least the 2024-25 season.
Gobert will have a player option ahead of the final year of his deal, as will Mitchell.
The 28-year-old Gobert is mostly known for his defensive prowess, averaging 2.2 blocks per game during his career. He has been named Defensive Player of the Year twice and has been first-team All-Defense the past four seasons.
His offensive game has also been improving, as he averaged at least 15 points per game the past two seasons while earning his first All-Star selection in 2019-20.
Gobert finished last season averaging 15.1 points, 13.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game, while his 10.7 win shares ranked fifth in the NBA, perBasketball Reference. He finished tied for second in win shares in 2018-19.
Even when he doesn't take many shots, the French star has proved to be a difference-maker. The next step for Utah is playoff success after losing in the first round the past two seasons.
Lakers Picked to Win NBA Title, Giannis to Win MVP Award in 2020-21 GM Survey
Dec 18, 2020
FILE - Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, rear, and Anthony Davis (3) celebrate after the Lakers defeated the Miami Heat 106-93 in Game 6 of basketball's NBA Finals in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., in this Oct. 11, 2020, file photo. Anthony Davis is finalizing a five-year contract worth up to $190 million to return to the Los Angeles Lakers. Davis' agent, Rich Paul of Klutch Sports, confirmed the terms of Davis' pending free agent deal to The Associated Press on Thursday, Dec. 3, 2020. One day after LeBron James agreed to a two-year, $85 million contract extension with the Lakers through 2022-23, Davis committed to the Lakers through the 2024-25 season. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
A survey of NBA general managers found a staggering 81 percent believe the Los Angeles Lakers will repeat as champions at the end of the 2020-21 season.
John Schuhmann of NBA.com provided results from the outlet's 19th annual GM survey, with the Lakers' title prediction percentage ranking third in history behind only the Golden State Warriors' teams of 2017-18 (93 percent) and 2018-19 (87 percent).
The Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo was predicted to win his third straight Most Valuable Player Award by 32 percent of the voters. The Dallas Mavericks' Luka Doncic (21 percent) and the Lakers' tandem of LeBron James and Anthony Davis (18 percent each) were the next highest vote-getters.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUGhK4qNbTI
Aside from the Lakers, the Los Angeles Clippers, Brooklyn Nets and Miami Heat were the only other teams to receive votes to win the 2021 NBA title.
Here's a look at the player voted the best at each position by the GMs:
Antetokounmpo was also selected as the best defensive player in the NBA.
The Lakers, who acquired several veteran players to bolster their repeat chances and re-signed both James and Davis, were chosen as the team with the best offseason, though the Phoenix Suns' acquisition of point guard Chris Paul was named the biggest impact move overall.
LaMelo Ball, the third overall pick in the 2020 NBA draft, was picked as the most likely Rookie of the Year over the first two selections, the Minnesota Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards and Warriors' James Wiseman, though the general managers picked Wiseman as the best player from the class in five years.
Erik Spoelstra of the Miami Heat was voted the league's best head coach.
A quick glance at some other interesting results from the GM survey:
Player to start a franchise with: Antetokounmpo
Most promising young core: New Orleans Pelicans
Best passer: James
Most versatile: James
Toughest player: Steven Adams (Pelicans)
Player to take winning shot: Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers)
The 2020-21 season tips off Tuesday with a TNT doubleheader: the Nets host the Warriors at 7 p.m. ET and the Lakers open their title defense against the rival Clippers at 10 p.m. ET.
James Harden Trade Reportedly Doesn't Interest Bucks After Giannis' New Contract
Dec 17, 2020
Milwaukee Bucks' Giannis Antetokounmpo tries to drive past Houston Rockets' James Harden during the second half of an NBA basketball game Wednesday, March 7, 2018, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
According to Sam Amick of The Athletic, Giannis played a role in acquiring guard Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans, as well as the pursuit of Indiana Pacers guard Victor Oladipo and Atlanta Hawks forward Bogdan Bogdanovic.
All the aforementioned contributors were part of a list of players Giannis wanted the Bucks to consider pursuing. Harden is reportedly not on that list.
Giannis is in line to be the face of the franchise for many years to come after signing a five-year, $228 million supermax contract extension this week.
Harden, who is the reigning three-time NBA scoring champion and a one-time NBA MVP in his own right, has reportedly asked to be traded.
ESPN'sAdrian Wojnarowskireported last month that Harden rejected a contract extension offer that would have paid him $50 million per year. He reportedly asked the Rockets to trade him to the Brooklyn Nets so he could play alongside Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.
Given the fact that Harden is under contract for at least two more seasons, the Rockets have yet to honor his trade request. He was late to training camp, but he has since reported and is preparing to start the 2020-21 season with Houston.
After finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference in each of the past two seasons, the Bucks figure to be among the best teams in the conference again this season.
With Holiday joining a core of Giannis and Khris Middleton, Milwaukee is unquestionably one of a handful of contenders in the East along with the Nets, Miami Heat, Toronto Raptors and Boston Celtics.
Acquiring Harden would perhaps make the Bucks the clear favorite since they would have two of the top five scorers in the NBA based on last season's stats, although they would almost certainly have to part with Middleton in the deal, plus a lot more.
A duo of Giannis and Harden would be among the best in the NBA along with the Nets' Durant and Irving and the Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James and Anthony Davis, but there is no telling how they would mesh.
For now, the Bucks may be content to keep Giannis in place as the clear go-to guy and surround him with a deep and diverse supporting cast.
