{"id":1028,"date":"2025-03-23T07:14:35","date_gmt":"2025-03-23T07:14:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/?p=1028"},"modified":"2025-03-23T07:31:37","modified_gmt":"2025-03-23T07:31:37","slug":"giannis-fourth-quarter-stats-embarrassing-again","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/2025\/03\/23\/giannis-fourth-quarter-stats-embarrassing-again\/","title":{"rendered":"Giannis fourth quarter stats?  Embarrassing again"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To appreciate the fourth-quarter letdown, we need context. The Bucks trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half, with Sacramento\u2019s fast-paced attack\u2014led by De\u2019Aaron Fox and a depleted but scrappy Kings roster\u2014exploiting Milwaukee\u2019s thin lineup. Giannis, battling right patella tendinopathy and visibly less than 100%, turned the tide in the third quarter. He erupted for 22 points in that frame alone, slashing to the rim, bullying defenders, and cutting the Kings\u2019 lead to just 3 heading into the final period. It was vintage Giannis: unstoppable, relentless, and the sole reason Milwaukee had a pulse.  It was actually quite funny as the same people who were saying &#8220;oh, it&#8217;s the injury&#8221; in the first half were beating each other with superlatives! Social media buzzed with praise.On paper, it was shaping up to be another signature Giannis takeover. Then the fourth quarter happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"560\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">GIANNIS WITH THE POSTER. \ud83d\ude24\ud83d\udd25 <a href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/I3atArds7A\">pic.twitter.com\/I3atArds7A<\/a><\/p>&mdash; NBACentel (@TheNBACentel) <a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/TheNBACentel\/status\/1903636562056708514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">March 23, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote> <script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Collapse: Fourth-Quarter Floundering<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>With the Bucks down 3 entering the final 12 minutes, Giannis briefly sat as Milwaukee\u2019s supporting cast\u2014Kevin Porter Jr., Brook Lopez, and company\u2014opened the quarter with a 7-0 run to seize a 4-point lead. Giannis re-entered with momentum on his side, but what followed was a masterclass in late-game inefficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"788\" height=\"110\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-65.png?resize=788%2C110&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1031\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-65.png?w=788&amp;ssl=1 788w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-65.png?resize=300%2C42&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-65.png?resize=768%2C107&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 788px) 100vw, 788px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In the fourth, Giannis was his usual self, missing free throws. In a 6-point game where every possession mattered. His lone make was a layup. After that? Silence. He watched as Sacramento\u2019s defence sagged off him, daring him to shoot or pass. Here is the play by play as per NBA.com official stats:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>5.50 SUB: Antetokounmpo FOR Lopez, Bucks ahead 104-100<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>3:05 Antetokounmpo Out of Bounds Lost Ball Turnover<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1:05 MISS Antetokounmpo 5&#8242; Driving Floating Jump Shot<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>0:24 Antetokounmpo S.FOUL<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>0:20 Antetokounmpo Free Throw 1 of 2 (32 PTS)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The Bucks won despite Giannis, not because of him<\/strong>. Milwaukee\u2019s bench and role players held a +7 advantage to start the quarter, and Lopez\u2019s timely blocks (he finished with 3) plus Porter Jr.\u2019s 18 points off the bench sealed the deal. Giannis\u2019 plus-minus in the fourth was a team-worst -2, a stark contrast to his +15 for the game, underscoring how the Bucks thrived when he wasn\u2019t the focal point late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why It Went Wrong<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-full is-resized\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"756\" height=\"514\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-64.png?resize=756%2C514&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1030\" style=\"width:548px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-64.png?w=756&amp;ssl=1 756w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/image-64.png?resize=300%2C204&amp;ssl=1 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 756px) 100vw, 756px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Giannis\u2019 fourth-quarter struggles against the Kings weren\u2019t an anomaly\u2014they\u2019re a microcosm of his well-documented late-game issues. Here\u2019s what went awry:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Free-Throw Nightmares<\/strong><br>Giannis went 8-for-13 from the line overall, but his 0-for-3 in the fourth was inexcusable. Sacramento, lacking Domantas Sabonis\u2019 rim protection, resorted to fouling Giannis to slow him down. His misses\u2014airballs and bricks alike\u2014killed momentum and gave the Kings life in a game they had no business staying in. For a player averaging 30.2 points on 59.9% shooting this season, his 68-70% career free-throw clip remains a glaring liability.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>No Perimeter Threat<\/strong><br>The Kings packed the paint, daring Giannis to step outside his comfort zone. He obliged with a missed jumper and hesitated on open looks, allowing Sacramento to collapse without consequence. His 31% three-point shooting this season didn\u2019t inspire confidence, and it showed\u2014he didn\u2019t even attempt a triple in the fourth.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Fatigue and Injury<\/strong><br>Playing 35 minutes on a gimpy knee, Giannis looked gassed. His drives lacked their usual explosiveness, and his decision-making faltered. A turnover late in the quarter\u2014a sloppy pass under pressure\u2014nearly swung the game back to Sacramento. Posts on X noted he was \u201cclearly less than 100%,\u201d yet the Bucks leaned on him heavily, amplifying his fatigue.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Defensive Attention<\/strong><br>Sacramento keyed in on Giannis, double-teaming him on drives and forcing him to defer. Without Lillard or Portis to draw attention, he faced a wall of bodies and couldn\u2019t adjust. His 1 assist in the fourth pales next to his 6.0 season average, highlighting how the Kings neutralized his playmaking.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Eye Test: Frustration Mounts<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Watching the fourth unfold, Giannis\u2019 frustration was palpable. After missing his first free throw, he shook his head, muttering to himself. A botched drive led to a pleading gesture toward the refs for a foul that never came. On defense, he nabbed 2 steals and a block for the game, but in the fourth, his effort waned\u2014Fox blew by him for a layup that cut the lead to 4 with 3:12 left. The Bucks survived, but Giannis\u2019 body language screamed exhaustion and irritation, a far cry from the third-quarter titan who\u2019d dominated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does It Matter?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In isolation, this was one bad quarter in a win\u2014hardly a death knell for Giannis\u2019 season (30.2 points, 11.9 rebounds, 6.0 assists). He\u2019s 6-1 against the Kings in his last seven matchups, averaging 35.0 points, and last night\u2019s 32-point, 17-rebound effort was heroic given the circumstances. Bucks fans hailed it as \u201ca tough win,\u201d crediting his overall impact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>But the pattern persists. Giannis\u2019 career fourth-quarter playoff numbers (5.8 points, 44% shooting) and clutch-time inefficiencies (sub-50% true shooting) echo last night\u2019s meltdown. Against a Kings team missing Sabonis and ripe for the taking, his late-game fade could\u2019ve been fatal against stronger foes like Boston or Denver. With Milwaukee at 39-30 and clinging to the East\u2019s 5th seed, <strong>these lapses raise questions about his reliability when the stakes rise.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Giannis didn\u2019t lose the game\u2014he just didn\u2019t win it. The Bucks\u2019 depth bailed him out, but as the playoffs loom, he\u2019ll need to fix these flaws. A mid-range jumper, a quicker free-throw routine, or simply better stamina could turn these off nights into clutch heroics. At 30, he\u2019s still in his prime, and his 2021 Finals Game 6 (17 fourth-quarter points) proves he can deliver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last night, Giannis was a titan for three quarters and a ghost in the fourth. It wasn\u2019t a disaster, but it was bad enough to remind us: even the Greek Freak isn\u2019t invincible when the clock winds down. Bucks fans can only hope he saves his best for when it matters most\u2014because against the Kings, he left them sweating bullets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Giannis Antetokounmpo\u2019s Fourth-Quarter Struggles: A Deep Dive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To understand Giannis\u2019 fourth-quarter woes, let\u2019s start with the data. While his overall stat lines are jaw-dropping\u2014averaging around 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists per game in recent seasons\u2014his production tends to dip when the game is on the line. According to NBA.com stats for the 2024-2025 season (as of March 22, 2025), Giannis averages just 6.1 points in the fourth quarter on 48.2% field goal shooting, a noticeable drop from his full-game efficiency, which hovers around 55-57%. His free-throw percentage, already a career-long Achilles\u2019 heel at 68-70%, plummets to 62% in the final frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In clutch situations\u2014defined as the last five minutes of a game with the score within five points\u2014his numbers are even more telling. Giannis\u2019 usage rate remains sky-high (often exceeding 35%), but his true shooting percentage dips below 50%, and his turnovers spike to an average of 1.2 per clutch game. Compare this to peers like Nikola Joki\u0107 (58% true shooting in the clutch) or Kevin Durant (consistently above 60%), and the gap becomes apparent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Perhaps most glaring is his playoff performance. During the Bucks\u2019 2024 playoff run, Giannis averaged 5.8 points in the fourth quarter on 44% shooting, with a free-throw percentage of 59%. In elimination games, those numbers shrink further, amplifying the perception that he shrinks when it matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Memorable Meltdowns<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Stats only tell part of the story. Giannis\u2019 fourth-quarter struggles have produced some high-profile stinkers that fuel the narrative:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>2023 Playoffs vs. Miami Heat<\/strong>: In Game 4 of the first-round upset, Giannis went 1-for-5 in the fourth quarter, missing key free throws and turning the ball over twice in the final three minutes. The Bucks lost, and the Heat went on to eliminate them.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>2024 Finals Hopes Dashed<\/strong>: In a January 2025 showdown against the Celtics, Giannis scored just 4 points in the fourth on 2-for-7 shooting, as Boston pulled away with a 12-0 run to seal the game.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Clutch Free-Throw Fiascos<\/strong>: Against the 76ers in February 2025, Giannis missed 4 of 6 free throws in the final two minutes, turning a one-point lead into a three-point loss.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These moments stick in fans\u2019 minds, overshadowing his otherwise dominant play.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does It Matter?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Critics argue that Giannis\u2019 fourth-quarter struggles undermine his status as an all-time great. After all, legends like Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant were defined by their ability to take over games late. He\u2019s not incapable of clutch heroics; he\u2019s just inconsistent.  And maybe he can&#8217;t do it anymore since the league has figured him out and he has not developed counters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Greek Freak\u2019s legacy isn\u2019t defined by his fourth-quarter woes yet. At 30 years old, he has time to evolve. If he can address these flaws, the narrative will shift from \u201cGiannis disappears late\u201d to \u201cGiannis conquered his demons.\u201d Until then, Bucks fans will hold their breath every time the clock ticks down\u2014and hope their superstar proves the doubters wrong.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>To appreciate the fourth-quarter letdown, we need context. The Bucks trailed by as many as 14 points in the first half, with Sacramento\u2019s fast-paced attack\u2014led by De\u2019Aaron Fox and a depleted but scrappy Kings roster\u2014exploiting Milwaukee\u2019s thin lineup. Giannis, battling right patella tendinopathy and visibly less than 100%, turned the tide in the third quarter. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1033,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1028","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-postgameeval","category-skills"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/giannis-fourth-quarter-checked-out-of-game.jpg?fit=1024%2C768&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1028","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1028"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1028\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1042,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1028\/revisions\/1042"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1033"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1028"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1028"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/greekinter.net\/giannis\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1028"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}