A sneaky way to build around Giannis
Eight thoughts from David Thorpe
Sixers fans might want to sweep this question under the rug, but Nick Nurse cannot: who will guard Giannis Antetokounmpo? Experience would suggest: Not LeBron. Not Embiid. Not Jaylen Brown. Not Tyrese Maxey. Maybe V.J. Edgecombe can add that to his game, but if not … the Sixers’ starting lineup has a problem.
These are the kinds of issues that have been on David Thorpe’s mind this offseason. Today he explores eight issues:
A sneaky scheme for the Heat to build around Giannis.
How Dyson Daniels can elevate the Hawks.
Why the Thunder might be better.
A defensive plan for the Sixers.
The Blazers’ need for defensive-minded players.
Where I was wrong about Darius Acuff Jr.
The reason to watch Scottie Barnes this season.
Jamahl Mosley vs. Sean Sweeney
PLAN FOR GIANNIS TO MISS FREE THROWS
Giannis chose to go to Miami, got there—and is being buried in doubters. (Vegas sees the Heat as eleventh most likely to win the title, behind the Raptors.) But lest anyone forget, he was incredible last season, and surely is planning to be even better now.
My surest prediction for this season: Giannis is going to be in “elite motivation” headspace, and he’s going to be destroying defenses all season. Count on it.
At the moment, the Heat have not a lot of money to spend and roster spots to fill around Giannis. And a thought occurs: Giannis is going to miss a ton of free throws.
Sure, he should work on them now, and likely has been, but let’s face it, this is not a new problem. Four times in the last six years he has led the league in free throws attempted, all the while making about 65 percent from the line. The result is literally hundreds of missed free throws a season.
Here’s my idea for the Heat:
