The Milwaukee Bucks have won four straight games, and seven in their last ten, to finally crawl out of the 2-7 hole they had dug themselves into. Thanks to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard finding some chemistry, the Bucks are in good shape to contend for the playoffs. It also helps that they play in the weaker Eastern Conference, where only four teams in the Top 10 are over .500. Anyway, NBA legend Alonzo Mourning went on Shaq’s “Big Podcast” to talk about how Giannis could fit in the NBA of the 1990s and 2000s when big men still reigned supreme.
During their conversation, both legends discussed the Bucks’ superstar’s strength in driving to the rim.
“Giannis I just think how hard he goes,” Zo said. “He still takes a beating though.”
Can the Bucks star thrive in the good old days?
While Giannis is one of today’s strongest players, akin to LeBron James, Alonzo Mourning told Shaq that back in the day several other players were also strong and tough, and they didn’t hesitate to play physical basketball because the rules didn’t favor offensive players that much.
Moreover, teams still had enforcers on their roster, the players who put opponents on the floor if the game demanded it.
“I mean he’s cut up like I was, I could see that, I could see that,” Zo said. “But I’m going to tell you what, Terry Cummings, [Charles] Oakley, Anthony Mason, Greg Kite, if you let those boys lay the wood on you they’ll take you out of the air.”
In today’s game, teams value agility and speed more than strength and power, which makes Giannis so dangerous because he has both, like a younger LeBron who just barreled his way to the rim every possession.
Likewise, it’s why he doesn’t really need an outside shot because NBA teams could hardly stop him as is. This season, Giannis leads all scorers with 32.4 points per game, making a staggering 60.8% of his shots.
Get your weight up
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However, Mourning said the physical play of past NBA eras would have forced the Bucks superstar to round out his game or bulk up even more.
“The guys in this era have not felt physicality until they felt those guys,” he said. “Buck Williams are you kidding me. The physicality of the game back then, it was unreal. Which is another reason why I stayed in the weight room man, I had to stay strong otherwise they would break you down.”
The Greek Freak’s unstoppable play may have saved Doc Rivers and Darvin Ham’s jobs and put to rest any trade rumors circulating around the Bucks and Giannis.
Moreover, it may have given a second life to the pairing between Dame Time and Giannis, which looked dead in the water just a month ago.
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