Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks bullied the Detroit Pistons last season.

They were perfect in eight games against the Pistons, and continued during the first-round playoff series, where the Bucks’ average margin of victory was nearly 24 points per game.

But it was Pistons forward Thon Maker, listed at 7-foot-1 and 221 pounds, who was the eventual MVP’s personal, physical highlight prop.

There was the Game 2 blocked shot that electrified the Fiserv Forum crowd.

And there was Antetokounmpo’s disdainful dunk in Game 4.

So Maker sought to address his weaknesses this offseason.

At a recent backpack giveaway at Detroit University Prep Elementary School, he intimated that he won't get pushed around by the likes of Antetokounmpo anymore.

[ Pistons fall short in record projections for 2019-20 NBA season ]

Maker, whose shoulders are noticeably broader, says he’s better, and everyone will see it when the Pistons open the regular season Oct. 23 on the road against the Indiana Pacers.

“When you work on your body in the summer, a lot of people work on certain areas and forget some of the most important parts,” Maker said.

“I had a great summer.”

Arrival with the Pistons

Maker, 22, has a simple scouting report.

He’s capable of providing energy and shot-blocking. He has quick feet, helpful when trying to stop point guards penetrating on pick and rolls.

He can make 3-pointers, but is a career 32.6% shooter.

Despite the physical gifts, there’s one glaring hole — he can be overpowered, something that has limited him to mostly a bench role in his three seasons.

But it was star power that jumped out when NBA radars picked up on a series of viral YouTube videos of a 3-point shooting, crossover-dribbling big man for a Canadian prep school.

He was a phenom with a compelling story as a refugee from war-torn South Sudan who immigrated to Australia as youth.

As a skilled big man with length, he fit the Bucks’ draft profile and was selected with the 10th overall pick of the 2016 NBA draft.

Maker had his moments with the Bucks, but as the talent base grew, he was passed by others in the rotation.

He requested a trade before the February deadline and the Bucks agreed, sending him to the Pistons.

His new team won 17 of 29 games after his arrival to finish 41-41, good enough to earn the Eastern Conference’s No. 8 seed, their second playoff appearance in a decade.

When Pistons star Blake Griffin missed the first two games of the series with a sore left knee, Maker got the starts.

But Antetokounmpo dominated. He averaged 26.3 points, 12 rebounds and nearly 11 free throw attempts in the four-game series, which included a 41-point Game 4. He attempted a whopping 20 free throws the night the Bucks clinched in front of a rare sellout crowd at Little Caesars Arena.

The Greek superstar had many viral moments, but he saved his best for Maker, his former teammate.

After a long weekend following the playoff exit, Maker went to work.

Targeted improvement

It wasn’t just lifting weights.

Under the guidance of Pistons strength and conditioning adviser Arnie Kander, the areas of improvement were targeted.

“You can add strength, but if you don’t do the right kind of strength for your type of body, your type of movement (it doesn’t work),” Maker said. “You don’t want to lose what you have — fast guy, quick guy — you don’t want to lose that, but work around it, keep that as your bread and butter.”

Pistons fans will recall Kander’s work with Tayshaun Prince, now a Memphis Grizzlies executive who still has the slender frame of his playing days. Although he was thin, Prince had a strong core, which helped him start at small forward for a decade with the Pistons.

Maker likely will always be thin, but the focus was on strengthening his core, upper body and ankles.

He also changed his diet. After undergoing tests in Colorado, chicken and eggs were ruled out.

In was pork, turkey, copious amounts of fish and something else: avocados.

Which he can't stand. But he relented, with the help of hot sauce.

Pistons coach Dwane Casey has noticed.

“Has gotten bigger and stronger,” he said via text. “Thicker in the shoulders. Has worked on his core to maintain a stronger base.

“He has had a good summer.”

Maker did more than work on his body, saying his offseason also included skill development.

And it’s showing in scrimmages, where he says he is “surprising himself” with finishes around the rim, his shot is better and his ball-handling has improved.

The time to show it begins next week when training camp begins.

Griffin and Andre Drummond will man the two frontcourt spots, but Maker and newcomers Markieff Morris, Christian Wood and rookie Sekou Doumbouya will fight for playing time.

“It’s just being skilled with the ball, handling the ball,” Maker said. “I’ve gotten so much better at that. Passing the ball, I’ve worked on that as well. It’s pretty much improving my overall game. When the season comes, it will make more sense what I’m talking about.

“I’ve played in a lot of pickup games this summer and everybody can see a big difference. I even surprise myself at times. I’m excited about it.”

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