Bucks win Group B of the NBA Cup, Giannis may have a real jump shot.

So I’ve been debating about blogging about Giannis’ emerging jump shot for a few weeks now. Pretty much since early November he’s had the 2nd best mid-range shooting percentage in the league (almost 50%!). And last night he was REALLY on a heater. He scored 28 points in 28 minutes on 10/11 shooting from the field.

“Jon, 10/11 shooting? Probably bunch of dunks and layups right??”

WRONG voice in my head! As evidenced in the above video, most of Giannis’ shots last night were in that mid-range jumper space.

Now look, is Giannis just on a 5 week heater, or has he really added this element to his game at (soon to be) 30 years old. I guess only time will tell. That’s why I’ve been reluctant to talk about it, for fear that I’m going to scare the jumper away like a deer in the woods. I wouldn’t say I’m superstitious, but I’m a little stitious.

But if this is really is a new dimension that he’s unlocked?? Holy SMOKES. How many times have Bucks’ fans said, “if only Giannis could hit a consistent jumper, he’d be unstoppable!” Well, through one month of the season, it looks like he’s done just that.

Which brings me to my next point: Giannis is once again the most dominant player in the league. I’ll concede that Jokic had taken that title for a few seasons, but Giannis is playing like a better version of his 2018-2022 self. Most MVP ladders have him at 3rd or 4th, but that’s preposterous. He is the leading scorer in the NBA on 61% shooting, his assists are up, his blocks are up, he’s legitimately playing the best basketball of his career. And we’re talking about a career that’s seen him already win two MVP awards, a Defensive Player of the Year award, Finals MVP, etc. The team’s record is finally starting to reflect his effort, but if you’re actually watching the games you know that Giannis seems to have leveled up when we didn’t even think there was another level available.

So, it turns out that the season didn’t end after the 2-8 start! They’ve won 7 in a row, and 9 of their last 10. Still a long way to go, and if Giannis really does want MVP attention they’re going to have to stay hot and probably get to 50-55 wins, but this team is humming right now.

PS: Giannis going 0/7 from mid range during tonight’s game is the mortal lock of the century.

Double PS: If the league really wants fans to give a s— about the NBA Cup, they need to put some real stakes on it. Maybe the winner gets a guaranteed playoff spot? Wouldn’t be big for the Bucks but would be HUGE for a franchise like the Pistons. Maybe the winner gets home court advantage in the first round of the playoffs regardless of seed? Maybe the fans each get a million dollars in addition to the players? Just spit ballin’.