Pulse of the NBA

(SportsNetwork.com) – Two young players have made significant strides in their games, and both are part of rebuilding teams that look like they’re on the upswing.

I’m referring to Tobias Harris of the Orlando Magic and Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Harris, who’s in his fourth year in the league, is putting up career-highs in points (18.8), rebounds (8.4), assists (1.8), steals (1.2), field goal percentage (46.9 percent) and three-point percentage (41.2 percent).

“I’ve taken the next step in my game and the next level now is continuing to trust my teammates and trust that this whole thing is going to work out for us as a team as long as we play the right way,” Harris said. “I’ve told all of the guys on the team, ‘You look better individually when we win as a team.’ So it really is all about winning.”

Harris’ scoring average is up over four points from last season, but it’s another part of his game that he’s really tried to improve.

“One of the main focuses for me was making sure that we all play the right type of basketball and that’s team basketball,” he said. “I’ve taken it upon myself to be the guy who takes that first step for everybody else. Especially in that first quarter, I want to make that extra pass, be patient and trust everyone. The coaches have told me over and over to keep trusting the system. I’ve been doing that, it’s helping my teammates and it’s had a ripple effect on everybody.”

The 22-year old small forward’s motivation to get better is driven by one goal.

“The reason I’m focused and so locked in is because I want our group here to win,” said Harris . “Our coaches have put in a tremendous amount of time with us and they have given us the right plan and structure to help us win games. And for us as a team, it’s on us to go out there and execute and win games. The games where we’ve been locked in offensively and defensively, that’s when we have won. So we just have to be consistent with it and win games.”

Harris, who will be a restricted free agent next summer, has the benefit this season of playing with his older cousin, Channing Frye, who has imparted some pretty good advice.

“I just constantly tell him, ‘You be you and don’t worry about what happens. Carve out your niche for who you want to be as a player and don’t just be a contract-year guy; be an all-the-time guy and he’s doing that. Winners get paid – I said that since I first got here – and you want to be a winner.”

The Magic front office and coaching staff wanted Harris to come in this season with a more diversified game, and coach Jacque Vaughn is glad to see he’s lived up to the challenge.

“He’s trying to just be a better player overall,” said Vaughn, who drew up Harris’ game-winning, buzzer-beating basket in Philadelphia two weeks ago because of his confidence in the versatile forward. “A lot of times when we talk about a player trying to get better everybody (looks) at the offensive end of the floor. I think defensively he’s taken some strides in the different matchups that he’s had throughout the course of the season so far. He’s taking pride in both ends of the floor. I’ve been pleased to see that from him.”

Now on to the player who was nicknamed “The Greek Freak” as a teenager playing in Greece.

Giannis Antetokounmpo looks like a totally different player in this his second season and it’s scary to think how good he can be with his skill set and the incredible size and length he brings to the table with his 6-foot-11 frame and huge 7-3 wingspan.

Bucks center Larry Sanders is impressed by his 19-year old teammate and knows how much potential he has.

“He’s such a skilled player,” Sanders said. “He’s only just scratching the surface of how good he’s going to be. He’s just tapping into new abilities and trying on new things. He’s really learning about himself and it’s amazing to watch.”

Because of his size and his ability to handle the ball so well, Antetokounmpo is a difficult matchup for smaller players who he can post up and for bigger players who he can take off the dribble.

Just ask the Memphis Grizzlies Zach Randolph, who had his hands full when he was matched up against Antetokounmpo on November 7 when the Bucks handed the Grizzlies their first loss of the season.

Antetokounmpo continually beat Randolph off the dribble in the fourth quarter, scoring 12 of his 18 points against the Grizzlies power forward, as the Bucks handed Memphis its first loss of the season.

“We played through Giannis, and he didn’t settle,” said coach Jason Kidd. “He was getting the ball in the paint and was able to finish. You could see his growth coming along.”

In Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker, the Bucks have two 19-year olds with a ton of talent and immense potential, and they’re playing well enough along with the likes of Sanders, Brandon Knight and O.J. Mayo to give the Bucks a legitimate chance to be a playoff team.

Categorized in: NBA