Compilation of all screens set for Dame as primary ball handler to the best of my ability. Side note, holy fuck does the Bucks broadcast suck, so many times would they be showing something else while the game was being played.
1st
7:37 - Giannis slips screen for Dame at extended elbow, leads to Beasley contested 3 (miss)
2nd
7:20 - Portis slips screen for Dame, leads to open corner 3 for Beasley (miss)
5:10 - Middleton screen for Dame at extended elbow, leads to wide open corner 3 for Beasley (make)
4:25 - Lopez/Giannis double screen for Dame near logo, leads to Dame layup and shooting foul (miss)
3:34 - Lopez/Giannis double screen for Dame near logo, leads to Dame layup (make)
2:34 - Giannis slips screen for dame top of key, leads to errant pass by Beasley (turnover)
1:25 - Giannis sets screen for Dame near logo, leads to open dunk by Giannis (make)
0:45 - Beasley flare screen for Dame, leads to open corner 3 by Lopez (miss)
3rd
7:40 - Giannis slips screen for Dame top of key, leads to Middleton contested 3 (miss)
5:44 - Lopez slips screen for Dame top of key, leads to Brook layup (make)
5:05 - Brook sets screen for Dame top of key, leads to deflect pass out of bounds
2:05 - Pat slips screen for Dame, leads to wide open corner 3 for Crowder (make)
4th
7:10 - Brook slips screen for Dame top of key, leads to bad pass by Dame (near turnover)
5:45 - Lopez/Crowder double screen for Dame near logo, leads to layup by Dame (make)
1:30 - Beasley slips screen for Dame top of key, leads to open 3 by Beasley (miss)
0:50 - Giannis slips screen for Dame twice top of key, leads to near turnover, then Lopez dunk (make)
Some observations from watching every offensive possession again this game. When Dame isn’t handling the ball, the Bucks seem to just have him planted in the corner. I cannot fathom wtf they are thinking. As I said in the game thread, and I saw another post about, the only explanation that makes any sense to me is that Dame asked to be used less while he works back into game shape, as he stated he didn’t get to do his normal pre-season routine because of personal issues. Otherwise, it literally looks like the Bucks are trying to ice him out on offense…it is bizarre to watch.
Giannis reminds me a lot of prime Westbrook so far this season. I am unsure if he has always been like this, but watching him consistently for the first time, it is really frustrating watching him shoot 3s when he can’t even make FTs, shoot long range 2s, or turn around fadeaway jumpshots while teammates are open.
Robin Lopez is one of the best screen setters I have ever watched, and I feel like every Bucks player should be in a permanent camp to learn how to set screens from him. Not just for Dame either. So many token or slipped screens that do absolutely nothing. Someone needs to explain to every member of the Bucks, that the point of slipping a screen is for when the defense starts overplaying the ball handler, but if they know every screen is going to be slipped, the screen itself becomes pointless.
Ok, so I am not crazy, thanks for the perspective since I am new to watching Giannis. But literally all I could think these last 3 games was exactly what you said…it’s a 7’ Westbrook.
As you said, may just be bad habits from last year with Khris out…Dame had to do a lot of that too playing on shitty Blazers teams, we used to joke that a contested fadeaway 3 from Dame was still a better shot then anyone else on our team shooting.
I thought it would be Dame that would struggle to adjust more then Giannis, although maybe if I had watched more last year I would’ve felt different.
I hope they get it figured out, but Griffing being a new head coach may not have the balls to stand up to Giannis, and Dame has never really been a vocal leader, so he may defer to Giannis since it is his team. But someone needs to sit Giannis down and say “No more 3s, no more fadeaways, no more out of control drives 1v4, and let Dame and Khris initiate the offense the majority of the time”.
Oh…and obviously…SET A REAL FUCKING SCREEN