We only got 11 on-ball reps with Giannis screening for Lillard per Second Spectrum, but they were fruitful. Per the tracking data, a possession featuring a Lillard-Giannis pick-and-roll generated over 1.09 points per possession — the equivalent of a top-10 mark among high-volume pairings (min. 500 picks) last season.

In order, we have:

  • A traditional middle pick-and-roll with Middleton one pass away, and Lopez relocating from the right dunker spot to the left corner. Giannis gets a bucket.
  • The Bucks flowing out of “Get” action — a pitch ahead into a hand-back that flows into a pick-and-roll — with Lillard briefly drawing two defenders before tossing an off-target pass to Giannis.
  • Lillard boogying behind multiple screen flips from Giannis before taking a three
  • Lillard choosing Giannis’ screen to come off of and getting a free driving lane due to nonexistent help from the strong side corner, and Tucker committing to the roll from Giannis

You don’t see perfection in those clips — particularly the second and third ones — but that’s also the point. Kinks are being worked out and you can see how devastating the pairing was and will be.

  • Inevitable-Paint-650B
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    11 months ago

    As someone who’s watched Dame play a lot of times against the Nuggets especially in a playoff series he’s not always gonna shoot like that and Giannis is a decent screen setter not good