“Thats Your Job”: Former NBA Players Rip into DPOY Giannis Antetokounmpo for Lack of Initiative Against Miami Heat

Jimmy Butler was the star during Game 1 of the Miami Heat versus the Milwaukee Bucks Conference Semifinal. The Heat star scored 40 points while shooting 13/20 from the field. Defensive Player of the Year Giannis Antetokounmpo stayed away from guarding Butler, despite him going ballistic.

What made matters worse was when Giannis was asked whether he thought about switching onto Butler.

Former Celtics star Isaiah Thomas replied to the video saying, “As a competitor and DPOY that’s your job to take that assignment. I know Marcus Smart, Avery Bradley, Kawhi woulda been like FOH I’m guarding him.”

Should Giannis Antetokounmpo have made the switch onto Butler?

Former NBA champion Richard Jefferson also criticized Giannis, saying, “He asked that cuz you are the Defensive player of the year and Jimmy just had a career-high 40. My question is why did YOU ask him why did he ask that question.”

Fellow champion and former teammate Channing Frye replied to Jefferson saying, “Rich I was asking this all night, why if you are the best player on the court and Defensive player of the year would you not want to guard the guy BBQing the rest of your team?

As a DPOY, it is his duty to guard the best player on the opposing team. He cannot be asked to defend a point guard, but since Butler is a forward like him, Giannis should have guarded him. Especially since Butler was having his

best-ever playoff game, and the Bucks were getting cooked by him.

In Game 2, Giannis cannot afford to give any room for Butler to repeat what he did. The Bucks need to level the series before it gets too late for them to come back. Giannis has to step up and carry the Bucks as he did in the series against the Magic. Otherwise, they risk an early elimination.