NBA, Yiannis Antetokounbos: “I have said it, but no one listens to the Greek -born Greece: Whoever plays in FIBA match, then has a career season in the NBA”
Yiannis Antetokounbos said after the Bucks' victory over the Nuggets that it is no coincidence that players such as he, Jokic, Gilji-Alexander have a good season, stressing that he was due to the fact that they competed with their national teams.
Giannis Antetokounbos led the Bucks to victory over the Nuggets, noting a terrific double-double. After the game he was obviously happy and with the conversation going to the non-American players at some point-such as Yokic, Gilzie-Alexander and Wimbanama-who experience a career season or something close to it, fell.
Specifically, the “Greek Freak” stood out on how national teams improve the NBAERS, as they have challenges against them by playing in smaller spaces and in slower tempo, as they will then read the game better, even saying that the NBA is easier than the FIBA matches.
In detail, John said:
About players like him, Gilzie-Alexander, Jokic and Wimbania had a good season having played at the Olympics earlier: “I have said it, but no one listens to me. No one listens to the Greek -born child from Greece because he doesn't know what he says. I have said that anyone who plays basketball in FIBA matches usually comes to the NBA and is easier to play for him. SPACING is different, there are more possessions (in the NBA). It can be less Physical the game in NBA.
Wimbania, Jokic and Gilji-Alexander are experiencing the best seasons of their career, having played earlier in FIBA matches. I don't have a career season, but I have a very good season. But go to 2023. Branson, Halibarton, Edwards, Portis, Bankero and Kesler played in FIBA matches and had a career season. You go to Germany and Wagner had a career season.
I tell you, it's harder to play in Europe than in the NBA. You have more space here. When you get used to playing in smaller places, where there is more tactics and the game is slower (as in EUROPE), with less possessions, if you are efficient there, then you come to the NBA and – without wanting to show disrespect – the talent is more, but it is easier. Because you have more spaces. “
About the defense of Jokic and what the Bucks did to confront him: “To mark a player like him requires a team effort. Everyone must be concentrated and in their place, they can fight. Obviously Lopez was on him, but that was the first line of defense.
I'm not going to say our plan, but we wanted to play loudly and whenever you went (Jokic) in the painter we wanted to have a lot of bodies in the racket and oblige him to make decisions. He is one of the best in the league to make decisions, but we just had to make it difficult for him and show him different things, hoping that in the end we will get the victory. “
The fact that Rivers was that the plan for Jokic was to send him to the base line, where John would wait and what he thought about it: “Oh, the coach said our plan? What you need to do is oblige him to give the farthest pass, something he is good, but with this passes you can live. You want to send the ball to the corner at 45 degrees.
You know, when Jokic receives a double-team, Gordon cuts into the basket, so I know that my teammate behind me has to close Gordon and force Jokic to pass elsewhere. We did this, but Jokic is a good player and sometimes he found Gordon. But we just had to force him to see different defenses, make it difficult for him and playing loudly in every possession, to make him feel uncomfortable. You know he will do his game, he will do what he is doing, but we did a good job – all – concentrated in his mark to beat the Nuggets. “
On the Bucks' defense in general, which limited the Nuggets: “I think we played well. Obviously in the second part we were better. In the first part we received 28 points in surprise, as well as points from aggressive rebounds. In the second half we played louder, we went back to defense, we got rebounds, we went to their shots, we gave help to Jokic when he posted, but I think we generally fought as a team. It was like a playoff race and we were concentrated. We came one hour earlier than we usually come to the court, then we stayed for another 45 minutes and saw our systems. We were concentrated, sometimes we played well, others not. It was playoffs atmosphere and we came back after the defeat by the Rockets. ”
How important Niki was against a team like the Nuggets, since the Bucks had long to win a team that was in the top three places in the East or Judgment: “Wait, isn't Houston in the first three teams in the West? (then a journalist tells him that the Rockets are going down to 3rd and 4th in the West). I caught you here (laughs).
Yes, we were not good at the top three teams in the East and we only had one good match in the NBA Cup and a Rockets against Rockets. But it's time to concentrate when we go out to the parquet to be ready. We have risen to another level, but we can improve. To be good you have to win good teams and that was a start. I hope we build on it and continue our journey to the end by playing good basketball and fight with the best. ”
On Kuzma's performance: “I love how it plays. He plays with energy, plays good defense, takes on the most difficult opponent. Today he branded Murray at the match finale and made it difficult for him. When playing with the substitutes he is aggressive, he goes where he wants, runs on the open court, puts three -pointers, he plays away from the ball. I love his energy and what he brings to the team. We need to be good to be good. ”
On how he is dealing with the fact that he still has a restriction on the time of participation: “What did the coach say? What is I approaching to leave the restriction eh? I'm ready, I want to play, but I'm smart. I want to be as smart as possible. You have to take care of your body. I'm competitive, I want to be in the parquet, I love to play basketball. I don't like to sit in games, I don't care if it's a match of the playoffs or preseason, I just want to be on the parquet and play. And I'll be ready to play. Sometimes I play 28 minutes, some 36 minutes. It doesn't matter. I will try to be ready to play as much as I can. ”
About how he thinks the Bucks play in the midst of Portis's punishment, but also with himself having a time limit in the minutes on the parquet: “I think the team is playing great. With Bobby outside and me playing … two minutes less than usual, I think the team is playing great. ”
On how the Bucks found solutions when the Nuggets approached the score and what was the key: “Patience. You have to be patient, play with each other. At the end of the day, you have to be aggressive. That's why I'm here. To make phases, make good decisions and be aggressive. At times I was aggressive where I could have more patience.
I have to be mature enough to recognize when I will attack and when I wait for Lillard. When they sent Lillard to the sideline, I am free on top, so I can either go to the basket or wait for Lillard and play two with two and feed on it. That's what I chose to do and that worked for us. I think in the end I have to have more patience, play with Lillard because it is a threat and when they make him double-team he will pass me.
If I don't have a shot, I can give him the ball. We feel more comfortable by playing pick and roll together in two to two situations. We've got a lot of wins this way. We will continue to improve and do this. ”
Source: Sport24.gr
