Almost everything that makes Giannis Antetokounmpo great is slightly less impressive right now than it was last season. This matters more than it probably should. Anyone who manufactures 27 points, 11 rebounds and five assists per game—as Giannis currently is—with All-Defensive Team impact, on an offense that’s managing to score nearly two more points per 100 possessions than last year’s Mavericks (the greatest offense in NBA history), is an obvious problem.
Antetokounmpo continues to be one of the most impactful two-way players basketball has ever seen. To that end, criticizing a 25-year-old back-to-back reigning MVP who just signed the most lucrative contract in NBA history can feel harsh and reductive.