Patrick Williams on Giannis Antetokounmpo: He is good but he's not God

Julia Poe: Ahead of Game 2 in Milwaukee, Patrick Williams says the key to guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo is to not feel scared of the assignment. “He is good. But he’s not God.” pic.twitter.com/py2ha3VWMJ
Source: Twitter @byjuliapoe

What’s the buzz on Twitter?

Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Patrick Williams on preparing to face Giannis: “Same as you get ready for anybody else. First of all, don’t be scared. I feel like a lot of people in this league are scared or nervous to guard guys like that… He puts his pants on the same way I do. He’s good, but he’s not God.” – 1:16 PM Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Ahead of Game 2 in Milwaukee, Patrick Williams says the key to guarding Giannis Antetokounmpo is to not feel scared of the assignment.
“He is good. But he’s not God.” pic.twitter.com/py2ha3VWMJ – 12:42 PM Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
“He is good, but he’s not God.” PWill on guarding Giannis. – 12:40 PM Josh Martin @LonzoWire
DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls hit the road to take on Giannis Antetokounmpo and the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night in Game 2 of their first round series, and if youR… lonzowire.usatoday.com/lists/bulls-vs… – 10:55 AM Doug Smith @SmithRaps
‘Tis awards season: NBA just announced Marcus Smart of Boston is defensive player of the year. First guard to win it since Gary Payton in mid-1990s
Full disclosure: I had it Mikal Bridges, Smart, GIannis Antetokounmpo in what was tied with coach of the year for the hardest pick – 7:13 PM Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
This is Patrick Williams trying to find the range. #Bulls pic.twitter.com/g5Tu2EJP1i – 2:07 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Put it in my story today, but the Bucks really started to do a nice job with this last postseason.
Link($1/month offer inside): https://t.co/MlwVcUy4ZW
If you double Giannis Antetokounmpo, Brook Lopez is running straight to the front of the rim. That cut opens Middleton for 3. pic.twitter.com/BoWKG2596w – 1:00 PM Tommy Beer @TommyBeer
Over the last five seasons combined, Nikola Jokic has more assists than Chris Paul or LeBron James.
And Jokic has more rebounds than Giannis or Embiid. – 11:19 AM JD Shaw @JShawNBA
NBA’s best from April 17:
– K. Irving: 39 pts, 6 ast, 4 stl
– J. Tatum: 31 pts, 8 reb, 2 blk
– C. Paul: 30 pts, 7 reb, 10 ast
– Giannis: 27 pts, 16 reb, 2 blk
– D. Robinson: 27 pts, 8-9 3pt, 23 min
– A. Horford: 20 pts, 15 reb, 41 min
– J. Valanciunas: 18 pts, 25 reb, 3 ast – 9:44 AM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
With Giannis Antetokounmpo in foul trouble and outside shots not falling, the Bucks needed someone to get to the rim late in Game 1. Enter Brook Lopez.
“Brook is also a bucket. People forget sometimes.” – @Jrue Holiday
On the ugly win, at @TheAthletic: theathletic.com/3255962/2022/0… – 9:40 AM Darnell Mayberry @DarnellMayberry
Can the Bulls’ defense build off Game 1 and keep locking down Giannis Antetokounmpo’s teammates? Or was Sunday’s scare the inspiration that paves the way for an easy Milwaukee sweep
🏻 by ⁦@jon_greenberg⁩ via @TheAthletic theathletic.com/3255729/2022/0… – 9:27 AM Trey Kerby @treykerby
Giannis was over the back, so respect to Bud for inexplicably taking him out for the last minute of a one-possession game as penance. The gentleman’s foul out. pic.twitter.com/s9NBzkbJ2v – 8:55 AM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez help the #Bucks avoid a Game 1 letdown vs. the #Bulls jsonline.com/story/sports/n… via ⁦@BenSteeleMJS⁩ – 12:03 AM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Asked Budenholzer about the thought process of taking Giannis Antetokounmpo off the floor with 1:24 left. Antetokounmpo did not get back on the floor for over a minute and returned to the floor with 15.3 seconds left.
His explanation: pic.twitter.com/Gl4Z4Stg0s – 9:27 PM Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Billy Donovan on Patrick Williams’ foul on Giannis while jockeying for rebound position down stretch: “I thought it was over-the-back (on Giannis), just from my angle.” But said Bulls need to do better job moving on to next play – 9:22 PM Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Billy Donovan thought that Giannis went over Patrick Williams’ back, which should have resulted in him fouling out, but he didn’t want to fixate on it: “We have to move on to the next play.” – 9:21 PM KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Billy Donovan thought Giannis went over Patrick Williams’ back, which would’ve been Giannis’ 6th foul. Instead, Williams drew a foul. – 9:20 PM Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Donovan thought Patrick Williams foul was over-the-back on Giannis, but said his team needs to do a better job of moving on. – 9:19 PM Nick DePaula @NickDePaula
Bucks’ #NBAPlayoffs kicks for Game 1:
• Giannis in the Freak 1
• Khris in the Kobe 6
• Pat in a KD 14 iD
• Wes in the Grinches pic.twitter.com/gx2gIoUoRe – 9:18 PM Rob Mahoney @RobMahoney
Something to keep an eye on:
Bucks with Giannis: +19 in 34 minutes
Bucks without Giannis: -12 in 14 minutes – 9:09 PM Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Bucks take Game 1 93-86
Vucevic: 24-17-3
LaVine: 18-10-3
DeRozan: 18-8-6
(Those three shot combined 21-for-71)
Coby: 12 pts off bench
Giannis: 27-16-3
Lopez: 18-5
Teams shoot combined 17-75 from 3 – 9:05 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
I thought the Bulls missed a chance to challenge that foul on Williams where Giannis was kind of over his back. Could have been his 6th. Think it probably would have gotten upheld b/c Williams grabbed him at one point, but was worth a shot. – 9:05 PM KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Bucks 93, Bulls 86
Vucevic 24 pts, 17 rebs
LaVine 18 pts, 10 rebs
DeRozan 18 pts, 8 rebs, 6 assists; 6-25 FGs
Bulls 7-37 from 3
Vucevic missed point blank layup and LaVine missed a 3 in final minute. This was great chance for Bulls to steal Game 1.
Giannis 27 pts, 15 rebs – 9:03 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
FINAL: Bucks 93, Bulls 86
– Antetokounmpo 27pts/16reb/3ast
– Lopez 18pts/5reb
– Holiday 15pts/6reb/6ast
– Middleton 11pts/5reb/6ast – 9:03 PM Darnell Mayberry @DarnellMayberry
Final: Bucks 93, Bulls 86.
Nikola Vučević: 24/17/3
Zach LaVine: 18/10/3
DeMar DeRozan: 18/8/6
Coby White: 12/4
G. Antetokounmpo: 27/16/3.
Milwaukee takes a 1-0 series lead. Game 2 is Wednesday night. – 9:03 PM StatMuse @statmuse
Giannis has won 14 straight games vs the Bulls.
The last Bulls win was 2017, when Nikola Mirotic was still on the team. pic.twitter.com/J47KcpEzcX – 9:02 PM Chris Fedor @ChrisFedor
Bud is hilarious. What the hell is he thinking taking Giannis out and then not calling timeout to out him back in? – 9:01 PM Michael Grange @michaelgrange
What situation is Bud subbing Giannis in and out for? What is he not good enough at? – 8:59 PM Sam Vecenie @Sam_Vecenie
Do we think that Bud sometimes is just like “let’s try to make this as hard as possible on ourselves?”
Playing offense/defense with Giannis is like, laugh out loud funny. – 8:59 PM Keith Smith @KeithSmithNBA
I’m not a coach, but I feel like going offense-defense with Giannis is a weird decision. – 8:59 PM Dave Mason @DeuceMason
No way I’m talking Giannis out of the game with a minute left – 8:58 PM Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
Bud, I dunno if I pull Giannis. Gotta trust him – 8:58 PM Kyle Neubeck @KyleNeubeck
Subbing Giannis out with less than 2 minutes left in the game because he had 5 fouls is wild, can’t believe they got away with it – 8:58 PM John Hollinger @johnhollinger
Saving Giannis for the overtime – 8:58 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
This is a ludicrous decision to take Giannis out – 8:57 PM Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Lopez bulldozes Patrick Williams under the basket for a foul. These Bucks bigs have provided a huge learning curve for Williams tonight. – 8:56 PM Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Giannis should have fouled out on that over-the-back, no-call. – 8:56 PM James Boyd @RomeovilleKid
They ain’t never just cheat for Giannis like that. 😂😂 – 8:55 PM Austin Krell @NBAKrell
Giannis was horse-back on Pat Williams and the over-the-back foul was on Chicago? – 8:55 PM Sopan Deb @SopanDeb
Not sure how that’s not over the back on Giannis. – 8:55 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Keystone Kops triple team on Giannis left Holiday wide open for a 3. – 8:44 PM Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Giannis back in with 5 fouls. – 8:43 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Coming out of the timeout, Mike Budenholzer goes with his starters — save Giannis Antetokounmpo. Pat Connaughton is in for him. – 8:40 PM Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
Second game in a row Giannis has had foul trouble vs. #Bulls. He and LaVine both have 5 fouls, Bulls trail 75-74 with 8:14 left – 8:39 PM Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Wow. Giannis just picked up his fifth foul with 8:14 to play. Alex Caruso stepped in and took a charge on a drive late in the shot clock – 8:36 PM Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Now Giannis picks up his fifth foul – 8:36 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Giannis Antetokounmpo is called for another offensive foul – his fifth. Alex Caruso was waiting for it.
8:14 to go in regulation in this one. – 8:36 PM Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
Giannis now has five. – 8:36 PM KC Johnson @KCJHoop
5 fouls on Giannis – 8:35 PM Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
That Giannis foul is the equivalent of holding onto the ropes while you’ve got someone in the figure four. You shouldn’t do it but it ain’t that bad – 8:35 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
And Giannis Antetokounmpo just picked up his fourth personal foul trying to clear out Alex Caruso for a catch on the left elbow. – 8:34 PM Nate Duncan @NateDuncanNBA
Giannis needing help guarding Vucevic in the post – 8:34 PM Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
Giannis doing work
pic.twitter.com/puVMQD6pOj – 8:29 PM Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
#Bulls trail 74-71 heading into 4thQ. Need to stay disciplined on defense vs. Giannis to have a chance. Vucevic 22 & 12, LaVine 18, DeRozan 5-19 FGs for 14 pts. Giannis 27 & 12 – 8:28 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday are a combined 7-for-22 (1-for-9 from behind the three-point line).
Giannis Antetokounmpo is carrying the load through three quarters for the #Bucks with 27 points, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks.
#Bucks lead the #Bulls 74-71 after one. – 8:26 PM Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Giannis absolutely flattens DeMar on his way to a layup and gets the free throw to boot. Makes it easier to quell a comeback when he’s available to sub back in. – 8:25 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Giannis Antetokounmpo’s dunk at the 6:40 mark was the last #Bucks score.
2:43 remain in the third quarter, #Bulls up 69-64.
And 34 is back in the game. – 8:22 PM Sam Quinn @SamQuinnCBS
Bucks with Giannis in: +10
Bucks with Giannis out: -15 – 8:21 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Foul update w/ 5:43 to go the third quarter.
#Bucks
3 – Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Grayson Allen
#Bulls
4 – Zach LaVine
3 – Alex Caruso – 8:14 PM Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
Javonte just can’t do anything on Giannis when the Bucks throw it over the top, hops and hustle can’t make up for that size advantage – 8:12 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Khris Middleton draws Zach LaVine’s fourth foul by taking a charge on a fast break — which leads to an assist and bucket by Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Fitting partner for Middleton to pass #Bucks HOFer for No. 4 on the all-time franchise playoff assists list. – 8:12 PM Kyle Kuzma @kylekuzma
Who is more dominant Giannis or Jo? – 7:47 PM Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
Not sure what to make of that 1stH. #Bulls did a great job of weathering the storm, then missed several opportunities to get closer. Bucks lead 51-43 at half. Bulls are 3-for-17 from 3, but lead in made FTs 14-5.
DeRozan has 12, LaVine 11, Vucevic 10; Giannis 17 & 11 – 7:43 PM Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Halftime: Bucks 51, Bulls 43
DeRozan: 12 pts, 4-12 FG
LaVine: 11 pts, 3-9 FG
Vucevic: 10 pts, 3-10 FG
Bulls shot 31.7%, 3-17 from 3
Giannis: 17-11-2
Bucks shot 6-22 (27.3%) from 3 and 5-10 from FT line – 7:42 PM KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Bucks 51, Bulls 43 at half
DeRozan 12 pts
LaVine 11 pts
Vucevic 10 pts, 7 rebs
Bulls 31.7 FG%; 3-17 from 3
Giannis 16 pts, 11 rebs
Bucks 6-21 from 3 – 7:41 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Huh.
Zach LaVine decides to pick up his third foul with a tick left by shoving Gianni Antetokounmpo in the back on a loose ball.
#Bucks go into the half up 51-43. – 7:41 PM Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Zach LaVine picks up his third foul with 0.1 secs left in first half. Forearmed Giannis jockeying for rebound position on a last-second shot – 7:41 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Man, that’s just great hustle from your two best players. Antetokounmpo with the contest on LaVine. Middleton with the fight for the rebound. – 7:40 PM Rashad Mobley @rashad20
Giannis is too experienced to be taking these types of rushed shots in a playoff game – 7:34 PM Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Bulls are hanging in after disaster start. Have trailed by as many as 16, but Zach LaVine has a chance to trim to 6 out of this timeout
Winning the Giannis minutes (by 5 so far) and Bucks shooting 5-19 from 3 helps – 7:34 PM KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Patrick Williams, who passed up an open 3 on last possession, has yet to take a shot in 12 minutes. – 7:33 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
#Bucks have gone cold from the floor and the #Bulls have cut the lead down to 44-39.
Giannis Antetokounmpo is now back in the game with 4:27 left in the first half. – 7:28 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Giannis Antetokounmpo just picked up his second personal foul and Mike Budenholzer opted to bring Bobby Portis into the game for him.
8:18 left in the second quarter. – 7:21 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Giannis Antetokounmpo heads to the #Bucks bench with 8:18 to go in the half with two fouls. Milwaukee leads Chicago by 10. – 7:20 PM Brian Mahoney @briancmahoney
Not even sure how many syllables Antetokounmpo actually has. But it’s somewhere around 11 when Ian Eagle screams it after he’s done something incredible. – 7:19 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
First free throws of the game for Giannis Antetokounmpo with 8:25 to go in the first half.
Only eight total free throws for the #Bucks and #Bulls thus far. – 7:19 PM KC Johnson @KCJHoop
Giannis has a double-double just 3:30 into 2nd quarter. – 7:18 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Giannis Antetokounmpo just did that thing where he throws it off the backboard to himself and dunks. – 7:18 PM Justin Garcia @tmjgarcia
This is the 5th time in Giannis’ career he’s had a double-double in the first half of a playoff game – 7:17 PM Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
DeRozan draws a fairly light offensive foul on Giannis, who wags his finger at the ref as he jogs back down the court – 7:13 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
I was wondering if we were going to see the Bucks bring the sideline out of bounds Middleton-Antetokounmpo alley-oop back in the postseason.
It’s been there throughout the regular season, but they haven’t been throwing it. – 7:11 PM Julia Poe @byjuliapoe
End of Q1: Not great
Bucks lead 34-21. Brook Lopez and Giannis tearing the defense up. Bulls shooting 2-for-11 from 3-point range.
DeRozan is 2-for-6, LaVine is 2-for-5, Vooch is 2-for-7. Patrick Williams hasn’t taken a shot. – 7:09 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Bucks up, 34-21, after one quarter. Lopez with 11 points. Antetokounmpo has 9pts/8reb.
Advanced Stats
OffRtg: 136.0
DefRtg: 87.5
Net Rtg: +48.5
ORB%: 36.4%
DRB%: 68.8% – 7:08 PM Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
End of Q1: Bucks 34, Bulls 21
Giannis: 9-8-2
Lopez 11 pts
Bulls shot 8-24 (2-11 from 3). Bucks have 18 points in the paint – 7:07 PM Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
So far, just a continuation of regular season for #Bulls. They trail Bucks 34-21 after 1stQ and lucky it wasn’t worse. Bulls shot 33%, Brook Lopez and Giannis combined for 2- pts – 7:06 PM Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Disaster formula midway through first quarter for Bulls:
Giannis has 9-7-2 in less than seven minutes
Bulls are 1-6 from 3 and 1-4 at the rim. 3-14 from field overall – 6:55 PM Mike McGraw @McGrawDHSports
Dreadful start for #Bullls. They couldn’t ask for better shots, but are just 3-for-14 from the field. Then letting Giannis get a head of steam, giving up offensive rebounds — a clinic in what not to do. Bucks lead 21-9 – 6:55 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Giannis Antetokounmpo has passed Rajon Rondo for No. 84 on the all-time playoffs rebounds list. – 6:50 PM CBS NBA @CBSSportsNBA
NBA awards finalists: Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid, Giannis Antetokounmpo finish top three for MVP
cbssports.com/nba/news/nba-a… – 6:47 PM Vivek Jacob @vivekmjacob
giannis pulling up like that less than 2 mins in almost as disrespectful as kyrie throwing it off the backboard to lebron on the opening possession of the series against the raptors – 6:45 PM Eric Nehm @eric_nehm
Giannis Antetokounmpo hits a pull-up triple and mean mugs as he flexes down the floor.
Bucks up, 9-0, after a minute and a half. Timeout to Billy Donovan. – 6:44 PM Jim Owczarski @JimOwczarski
Giannis Antetokounmpo punctuates a 9-0 game-opening run for the #Bucks. #Bulls start 0-for-3 from the floor. – 6:44 PM Rob Schaefer @rob_schaef
Bucks open game on a 9-0 run, punctuated by a Giannis 3. Timeout Billy Donovan, 10:27 Q1 – 6:43 PM Joe Cowley @JCowleyHoops
PWill obviously gets first Giannis duty, Zach on Jrue Holiday. – 6:42 PM Krishna Narsu @knarsu3
KD definitely gets way less slander than any other star in the league. If Steph or Harden or Giannis or Jokic or pick any other star had that game, the takes that’d be flying… – 6:40 PM Duane Rankin @DuaneRankin
Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic #NBA MVP finalists.
FYI: Devin Booker was in my Top 3. #Suns pic.twitter.com/eDaZMdCOok – 6:18 PM Eurohoops @Eurohoopsnet
No Giannis for DPOY? 🧐 pic.twitter.com/o9xzxSCliD – 6:17 PM Noah Levick @NoahLevick
Joel Embiid is officially an MVP finalist along with Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. – 6:16 PM Ky Carlin @Ky_Carlin
The MVP finalists are Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, and Giannis Antetokounmpo #Sixers – 6:15 PM Vincent Goodwill @VinceGoodwill
And think: The winner of this bloodbath gets Giannis – 6:10 PM Jorge Sierra @hoopshype
MVP award ranking, per our NBA awards poll among media member
1. Nikola Jokic
2. Joel Embiid
3. Giannis Antetokounmpo
4. Devin Booker
5. Luka Doncic
6. Jayson Tatum – 5:08 PM Michael Grange @michaelgrange
Jayson Tatum got on that Giannis diet. Dude is deezed. – 3:44 PM

More on this storyline

Gerald Bourguet: Devin Booker misses out on being an MVP finalist behind Nikola Jokic, Joel Embiid and Giannis Antetokounmpo. He could still be in the top-5, but he’s not one of the 3 finalists -via Twitter @GeraldBourguet / April 17, 2022 Harrison Wind: Draymond Green on Nikola Jokic: “I feel like he’s going to try and come out and give me 40, 15 and 15 next game…He’s pissed off and he’s coming back with vengeance tomorrow.” -via Twitter @HarrisonWind / April 17, 2022 JD Shaw: The NBA will announce its award finalists for the 2021-22 season on Sunday at 6:00pm ET. This includes MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, Most Improved Player and Coach of the Year. The announcement will be made on TNT. -via Twitter @JShawNBA / April 15, 2022