Giannis: “In the off-season I have to work more on the flop to win whistles”

Giannis Antetokounmpo works every summer and something new. This off-season, he could work to… flop, that is, in the theater when there’s contact, to draw some fouls.

He said this between seriousness and joking after the Bucks’ loss to Chicago over a foul he believed should have been won in less than a minute in the finals after a putback by Jrue Holiday when he felt fouled to have been what was not specified, resulting in an error.

That was just one of the many topics Giannis addressed after the game as he spoke candidly on many topics such as taking advice from everyone but also missing the days when opponents didn’t double cast him. “

Giannis explained in detail:

For the rebound after the time out when the score was 112-109 that the ball was lost and what happened: “I think there was contact. I was going to my seat and was stopped. But these things happen. If you play hard and with contact, you will be penalized for it. After the season I have to work more on the flop to get some whistles. But maybe I didn’t play properly at that stage and a mistake was made.”

How the Bulls’ defense makes it difficult for him: “They fill the racquet, but you have to stay aggressive, find ways to score goals. Sometimes you will succeed, sometimes not. I’m happy that my teammates trust me. Sometimes I’ll finish stages, sometimes my teammates will do the shots.

Why the Bulls conceded so many three-pointers against the Bucks: “They have great scorers and you have to focus on DeRozan and LaVine, provide assists, close their lanes. Sometimes when you do that you give away a lot of free threes for the other players and today they made quite a few. They invested enough to win.”

For Kobe White’s crucial 3-pointer from the corner after a DeRozan pass: “I did what I’ve been doing for so many years, I don’t change my defense, I got help to take the shot. He made a great pass (ss DeRozan to White), especially considering the moment it was given. But our defense will not change. We want to have a hand on every shot, DeRozan always have a body, and get help from another player. We have to be there for whoever marks him. We will go home feeling good because we followed our plan. It’s not that we haven’t tried. We just helped each other.”

About the Bucks’ 18 turnovers and what led to it: “We made a lot of steps and offensive fouls, and we misjudged some phases. I don’t think we made any mistakes out of selfishness. We didn’t make any “bad” mistakes. But we live with it when a player makes the right decision.”

The fact that he trusted Jevon Carter in a crucial offense and how much he trusts him: “I trust him a lot. He is a skilled goalscorer and playmaker. We trust in his ability to phase himself and us. We don’t worry when he has the ball, we know he will make the right decision for him and our team. It will continue to improve. He’s proven that he can make the right decisions and make big games.”

For a phase that passed between two opponents, showing patience before making an effort: “You just have to trust your gut feeling. Nothing specific came to mind at the time. Not many players felt what I feel. There are 75 players who feel the same as me. Sometimes you have to rush to make decisions while other times you only have one player in front of you and that’s the advantage you’re looking for.

I miss the days when I was 20 and nobody respected me, so I played one on one and nobody came. There were no traps, no double teams, no walls, no players trying to steal the ball from me. That does not exist anymore. If you’ve never experienced it, you won’t understand what it’s like to have opponents trying to give you a bad night. Sometimes you need patience, but if they forget to help, you have to go to the racquet immediately and get up before the second defender comes.”

Whether he feels alone and difficult to improve: “No, it is not more difficult. I’m only here because I work hard, not because I’m the most talented or the smartest player or the best shooter. I’m here because of my work. I understand. Everyone finds ways to improve. If I think I’m improving this year? Certainly. When I think I have more steps to go? Yes, but I have to find a way. I try to be humble towards players, but also towards people who haven’t played.

Some people know what it feels like to work with two or three teams and need to adapt and find ways to involve their teammates, improve them and win. And there are some players who have never felt that. They don’t know the pressure of carrying the team through the playoffs and regular season and helping the team win. And that’s okay. But I ask everyone for advice. If I wasn’t humble, I wouldn’t be who I am. Of course, when I talk to players who have experienced what I have experienced, my ears and eyes are more open to hear what they have to say because they can understand me.”

Whether he adjusted to the Bulls’ game in the second half and shot more often: “I think the defense was the same. It’s just that I found attacking angles in the second half. In the first half I wasn’t that aggressive, while in the second half I could be who I wanted to be and go to the basket. I didn’t focus on it, I just played my game. There were touches in the first half, but I’m not upset. I didn’t go to the recordings as often as I thought I should have. But I had to be more aggressive because when that happens you shoot more often because the way I play I win shots.”

He found the corner kicks in the Bulls defense: “I usually come down with the ball at the top and have to find the corner that opens up on the wall or play pick and roll. I found places, I posted one more time, I went to my spots. But I’m not focused on getting to the shooting line. I focus on making the right decision and sometimes when I do that I win a foul. But I’m focused on finding the right angle and being aggressive.”