It is easily measurable. His overall field goal percentage (FG%) decreases from 55.1% in the regular season to 53.2% in the playoffs. More pronounced drops are observed in his perimeter shooting and free throw accuracy. His three-point percentage (FG3%) falls from 28.4% in the regular season to 25.9% in the playoffs. The most significant decline is seen in his free throw percentage (FT%), which drops from 69.3% in the regular season to 62.5% in the playoffs. Consequently, his effective field goal percentage (eFG%), which accounts for the added value of three-pointers, also decreases from 57.0% to 55.1%.
These declines in key shooting efficiency metrics strongly support the hypothesis regarding a deterioration in shooting performance when the competition intensifies. The consistent reduction in accuracy from beyond the arc and at the free-throw line, despite his increased offensive volume, suggests that while he attempts to do more, the quality of his outside shots or execution under heightened pressure may be compromised. This indicates a clear vulnerability that opposing defences can exploit in high-stakes playoff environments.
Due to lack of bag he doesn’t really have a way to dictate what shots he takes. Compare regular season shooting by distances to the playoffs. Critically, his career playoff three-point percentage drops to 25.9% on a slightly increased share of attempts (14.9%).
The most pronounced and consistent decline is observed in his three-point shooting and, as previously
noted, his free-throw percentage. The slight increase in mid-range attempts during the playoffs could suggest that defensive strategies are more successful in forcing him away from his preferred at-rim scoring, compelling him to take more shots from these less efficient areas. The consistent drop in perimeter and free-throw shooting in the playoffs points to a critical area where opposing defences can effectively limit Giannis’s offensive versatility. By daring him to shoot from outside or fouling him, defences can force him into less efficient scoring methods, even if he still manages to generate high volume. This clearly demonstrates a causal relationship: increased defensive pressure in the playoffs leads to lower efficiency in his weaker shooting areas.
Even in the regular season however Giannis suffers. For the purpose of this analysis, “harder” regular season opponents are defined as teams with a winning percentage above.500. Conversely, “easier” opponents would typically be teams with a winning percentage below.500.
The significant drops in his overall Field Goal Percentage, Three-Point Percentage, and Free Throw Percentage in the playoffs highlight a clear vulnerability. Giannis is clearly past his prime of 5 years ago.
Even at the rim he is getting worse.
In his 2018-19 MVP campaign, he averaged 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals per game. He is down in both these as he focuses more on personal stat padding than the team quite obviously. In defence he is simply prowling out of position looking for a highlight video. Giannis is clearly a player that is past him prime. Worse still he isn’t adding anything to his game. So when it counts opponents neutralise him. Or worse still, they let him get his 30 points for bragging rights but the way he is forced to play destroys his team’s chances of winning.
