Former NBA player on Giannis Antetokounmpo: ‘I’m gonna need the DPOY to actually guard Jimmy Butler’

Former NBA player and current analyst Jay Williams wants Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo to take the challenge of guarding Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler in their first-round series.

Antetokounmpo, who missed Games 2 and 3 of the series and most of Game 1 with a back injury, returned in Game 4 but did not exclusively match up with Butler.

The Heat star went off in Game 4, scoring 56 points on 28 shots to lead Miami to a 3-1 series lead against the Bucks.

“I’m gonna need the Defensive Player of the Year to actually guard Jimmy Butler.”@RealJayWilliams challenges Giannis to shut Jimmy Buckets down. #KJM pic.twitter.com/jHQfXJKln7

— UNSPORTSMANLIKE Radio (@UnSportsESPN) April 25, 2023

“I’m gonna need the Defensive Player of the Year to actually guard Jimmy Butler, every possession,” he said. “It’s time. If he’s dropping 56 on you — I know Game 4 coming back off the back injury — but we’ve talked about this when Giannis was playing against Kevin Durant, and it was like, ‘Alright, here’s the matchup.’”

The Bucks tried a variety of defenders on Butler in Game 4, including an All-NBA defender in Jrue Holiday. However, they had no answer for the veteran, who led the Heat on a major comeback in the fourth quarter.

This series, Butler has scored 30 or more points in three of the four games and is averaging 36.5 points per game while shooting 62.8 percent from the field.

Butler had a massive first quarter in Game 4, and he followed it up by hitting multiple clutch baskets in the fourth quarter to secure the win for Miami.

JIMMY BUTLER IS IN #PLAYOFFMODE

56 PTS | 19-28 FG 🔥

HEAT FRANCHISE PLAYOFF RECORD.
T-4TH MOST POINTS IN NBA PLAYOFF HISTORY. pic.twitter.com/dv4iNILXWu

— NBA (@NBA) April 25, 2023

Antetokounmpo’s size could bother Butler and make it tougher for him to score near the basket, but Bucks head coach Mike Budenholzer has yet to exclusively use his star player on Butler defensively. It’s possible that the team was trying to ease him back in from his injury in Game 4.

While Antetokounmpo is a great defender, he doesn’t always defend the opponent’s best player. Part of what makes the Bucks star so great is his ability to play help defense and deny opponents at the rim.

That could change now that Milwaukee must win three games in a row to take down the Heat and advance to the second round of the playoffs. As soon as Game 5 begins on Wednesday, fans will get a better feel for how the Bucks plan to use their two-time MVP on the defensive end.