The Milwaukee Bucks started red-hot, winning their first 9 games, however since that point they are just 18-15. The 2021 champs were expected to be right there with the Boston Celtics as one of the best teams in league, especially after taking Boston to a 7th game last season without 20 point per game scorer and 3-time All-Star Khris Middleton. However, Middleton has not been healthy this season either, only playing in 7 games on the season and when he has played he has not been good. Averaging 11.1 pointer per game on 32.5% from the field and 27% from 3. Should the Bucks panic?
The Bucks issue this season is they simply cannot score. 26th in offensive rating thus far there are a lot of factors to this. It starts with the 3 point shooting, as a team the Bucks are shooting 34.7% from 3, 20th in the sport. They are down 1.9% from last season, which does not seem like much but they were 5th in 3 point shooting last season. A lot of it has to do with the absence of Middleton but also the other guys are not making shots. Pat Connaughton, who shot 39.5% last season, is down to 31%, Bobby Portis, 39% last season, down to 32% this season, Wesley Matthews, 34% last season, down to 31% this season, and Grayson Allen, 41% last season, down to 39% this season. With Middleton out, Milwaukee has needed their other guys to step up and hit shots and they haven’t done so with Connaughton and Portis being the most jarring of cases. Giannis has also had his problems offensively. Now, Antetokounmpo has been awesome this season, averaging 31.0 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 5.3 rebounds but he takes these weird jumpshots. Shooting 34% from mid-range and 24.5% from 3, Giannis keeps taking these weird shots. They are not in low volume either, he takes a bunch of these weird shots every game and they need to stop because they are hurting the team. Jrue Holiday has stepped up. His shooting percentages are down but his points, rebounds, and assists are all up in the absence of Middleton. I worry about him in the playoffs though because his numbers have tanked in the last 2 postseasons. In the 2021 Finals, Holiday 36% from the field and 31% from 3 point range and in the Boston series last season he shot 36% and 30% for the series, which cannot happen if they are going to win the East. The offense has been iffy but the defense has been awesome.
The Bucks defense starts with the interior and Brook Lopez. Averaging 2.5 blocks per game, Lopez’s defense has continued to improve each season since arriving in Milwaukee and he is my leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year. Giannis is also playing a big factor defensively as he and Lopez combine for probably the best defensive front court the NBA has. Jrue Holiday is a huge part in Milwaukee’s third best defense in the NBA, as well, as he guards the teams best guard, allowing Antetokounmpo and Lopez to defend the rim, which they are elite at. One place that has been a struggle in years past for the Bucks is defending the three pointer but even that has improved this season as they are 5th in the NBA in opponent three point percentage at 34.3%. If the Bucks are going to win the title, it’ll be on the back of their defense.
The Bucks were reportedly involved in a Jae Crowder trade that seems to have gotten close but dissolved after the Rockets were not sure about trading Eric Gordon as a part of the trade. That remains a possibility but there are other options for them to improve on the wing as well because they are clearly concerned about how their wings will hold up against the likes of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jimmy Butler, and Kevin Durant in a playoff series. Crowder is the best of the options but he has not played all season so who knows what kind of shape he is in. Other options are Josh Richardson, Alex Caruso, and others, who can help defend on the wing. The Bucks need a wing because as they (and we) learned in the playoffs last season, Grayson Allen is going to be hunted relentlessly in a playoff series and they want to sure that up. However, trading one of their best three point shooters is risky.
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