Tim Hardaway Jr. is already seeing how much easier life could become for the Miami Heat playing alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Miami got its first look at Antetokounmpo in action during Saturday’s 128-105 preseason win over the Toronto Raptors, and despite playing just 14 minutes, the two-time MVP’s impact was immediately noticeable.
Antetokounmpo finished with nine points on perfect three-for-three shooting while adding seven assists and four rebounds.
His ability to draw multiple defenders and create opportunities for those around him particularly stood out to Hardaway.
“We make the extra pass, and then we go from there and live with the results,” Hardaway said. “But it was very fun and very exciting for the most part. Very fast. Guy takes up a lot of space. His gravity is insane. So just still learning as the preseason goes on. He’s gonna be out there with a lot of different lineups. So we just gotta understand what we’re dealing with. But all in all, solid performance.”
Hardaway was one of the biggest beneficiaries against Toronto, finishing with a team-high 14 points while going four-for-four from the field and three-for-three from beyond the arc.
Klay Thompson also came away impressed with the opportunities Antetokounmpo can generate for Miami’s shooters.
“My thoughts are how I was so impressed by Giannis’ playmaking,” Thompson said, according to Weinberger. “I mean, I know he’s a great passer, but wow, he gets so many great looks. I’m going to be on the receiving end of so many of those, so I’m not worried about my field goal attempts or shooting efficiency as much in the preseason. I’m more just focused on getting a grasp of this offensive system, defensive system, and being in the right spots. So I’ve been in this league a long time. I’m going to be able to have great looks.”
That playmaking helped Miami race out to 41 points in the opening quarter and 76 by halftime.
For Hardaway and Miami’s other shooters, Giannis’ ability to command defensive attention could become a major part of the Heat’s offense this season.
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