Kevin Durant explains difficulty of “limiting” Giannis Antetokounmpo
The Brooklyn Nets are set to face the Milwaukee Bucks on Thursday as they continue to compete to maximize their play-in seeding. Atop the list of challenges in the matchup will be two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounpmo.
After the Nets’ 130-123 win over the Detroit Pistons, Kevin Durant was asked about what it will take when it comes to “limiting” Antetokounmpo in their matchup against the Bucks.
“I mean, he’s one of those players that establish himself that like, his points are almost absolute like guarantee,” Durant praised. “You know what I’m saying?” the former 2014 MVP asked with a laugh. “It’s about playing physical, making it as tough as you can, and also from top to bottom their whole team, they got a great team that play well off each other, with continuity so it’s much more than Giannis. But his points, they’re gonna happen, so you just gotta make ’em as tough as possible,” said the back-to-back NBA Finals MVP. That distinction, KD can boast (not that he would), is one Giannis is now gunning for.
In the 2021 Eastern Conference Semifinals, Antetokounmpo was instrumental in the Bucks’ 4-3 series win over the Nets with averages of 31.9 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. There was little Brooklyn could do to keep him contained and their outlook hasn’t changed.
Antetokounmpo played in each of the three regular season matchups the Nets and Bucks have faced off. Milwaukee went 2-1 in those games with the “Greek Freak” averaging 30.7 points, 11.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists. His scoring and rebounding was quite similar to his playoff execution while creating quality shots for teammates at a higher rate.
