Giannis Antetokounmpo getting to the rim was a big advantage for the Bucks

Finally, Giannis Antetokounmpo finally realized that he is bigger, stronger and faster than everybody else on the Brooklyn Nets roster and decided to use this to his advantage! It took him long enough, but Giannis realized his team needed him to be better in Game 6 and he was extremely efficient offensively. 

Throughout this series against Brooklyn and specifically in Game 5’s epic collapse, many have been questioning why Giannis Antetokounmpo is settling for jump shots. He has been doing so all series and in Game 5, when his team needed him to be aggressive and score, he settled for mid-range jumpers, including an atrocious fadeaway against James Harden with about 1:45 left in the game. 

READ MORE: NBA Playoffs: A look at the Nets’ historic Game 5 comeback against Bucks

In Game 6, Giannis took 20 shots, 16 of which came inside the paint. He attacked the Nets’ weaker defenders every single possession he had the ball in his hands and as a result, he found a lot of success finishing at the rim and putting Jeff Green on a poster at one point with a monstrous dunk in the fourth quarter. Giannis also made 6 of his 10 free-throw attempts, which was a win for Milwaukee. 

This was the first time since April 29 that Antetokounmpo had not shot a three-pointer in the game, and while he is working to incorporate the three-ball into his arsenal, he needs to do what he does best in the NBA playoffs, which is getting to the rim and finishing in the paint. 

He did so with ease in Game 6, which is why he needs to come back in Game 7 and do the exact same thing. By having 30 points, all of which coming in the paint or at the free-throw line, Giannis sets his team up for the best chance to win. It is worth noting that one shot Giannis took and made in Game 6 was just outside the paint adjacent to the free-throw line. 

If Giannis does not settle for jumpers in Game 7, the Bucks have a real chance to take down the Brooklyn Nets and make it to the Eastern Conference Finals. If he settles for jump shots though and reverts back to his old ways, then the Nets will have the advantage.