Milwaukee Bucks Set To Be Stacked With Playmakers?

We spend a lot of time talking about the Milwaukee Bucks playmakers in a traditional sense. Point guards like Michael Carter-Williams, Greivis Vasquez and Jerryd Bayless are constantly scrutinized and analayzed, but in a way, is that missing the point?

The NBA has long developed past the days where a team’s primary production in terms of passing and offensive creativity only comes from the point guard, or at a stretch in the backcourt.

We’re in the era of the point forward now, spearheaded by the greatest player of his generation LeBron James, but all across the board there are players of differing levels and skill-sets who are finding ways to excel and increase their value in the NBA thanks to an eye for a pass, and the ability to break down defenses too.

It makes sense, of course. Although defenses may have played with a tougher edge in the past, it feels like the coaching emphasis on defense has really upped a gear in recent years.

Even looking at last season compared to the one before it, last year’s average defensive rating (points allowed per 100 defensive possessions) around the league came in at 99.8, down from 103.9 the previous season.

With teams giving up an average of less than a point per possession on defense, it’s getting harder than ever to unlock defenses, and that makes those who can all the more valuable.

In an excellent piece for the Washington Post highlighting new ranges of measuring players’ playmaking contributions, such as assist usage and the conversion rate of players’ assist attempts, Seth Partnow identified some of the players around the league who are excelling with their passing, and why it has become so important.

"With the NBA’s pendulum swinging swiftly from an emphasis on isolation scoring toward a more collective mode of shot creation, making plays for teammates has become increasingly important. It is well-established that scoring attempts resulting from the collaboration between teammates are much more efficient than individual play."

Some of the recurring names to appear from the various measures that Partnow offered up were, perhaps to the surprise of some, big men.

Anthony Davis, DeMarcus Cousins, and two names that stood out in particular to me: Al Horford and Josh Smith.

Why did those players stand out to me?

Well to give full disclosure, the Atlanta Hawks are a team that are pretty close to my heart, so the inclusion of those players didn’t surprise me. What it did do though was make me think of two Bucks that I’ve long felt had potential similarities with Horford and Smith respectively.

Nov 20, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Detroit Pistons forward/center Greg Monroe (10) is defended by Atlanta Hawks forward/center Al Horford (15) during the first quarter at Philips Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Liles-USA TODAY Sports

First of all, let’s talk about one of the Bucks most recent additions Greg Monroe.

Monroe is nearly identical in size to Horford, and has a very similar game down in the low-post. Both players are strong finishers who tend to have very few problems scoring once they get inside.

Although Monroe has yet to develop the range that Horford has, nor can he lock down defensively like the Dominican, one department in which he does come close to the veteran is his passing.

For his career, Monroe averages 2.3 assists per game to Horford’s 2.7, both of which are very impressive marks for NBA centers.

It’s in the last three seasons where Horford has really kicked on though, averaging a combined three assists per game, how did he manage that though?

Always a player with soft hands inside, and the ability to take the ball up court, it was adding a superior inside-out passing game that brought Horford to the next level. As Atlanta tooled up on shooters, he grew more pinpoint accurate at finding the open men on the wings, and the team benefitted as a result.

The Bucks are far from a team packed with deadeye marksmen right now, but they are working hard to improve in that department. Khris Middleton is the team’s undoubted three-point leader, but with a supporting cast that now includes Greivis Vasquez, Chris Copeland, Rashad Vaughn and the returning O.J. Mayo, there will be options for Monroe.

That’s not to mention the fact that Michael Carter-Williams and Giannis Antetokounmpo are said to be working hard on improving their shooting too.

Speaking of Antetokounmpo, although most Bucks fans will probably recoil at the mention of this without giving it much more thought, his game is more than a little reminiscent of Smith’s.

Before I make a case for that in words (or you leave this article to read something else following that audacious statement), let’s take a look at how the pair’s per 36 minutes looked for the first two seasons of their respective careers.

Player	From	To	G	MP	FG%	3PA	3P%	FT%	TRB	AST	STL	BLK	TOV	PTS
Giannis Antetokounmpo	2014	2015	158	4438	.464	1.3	.296	.719	7.1	2.9	1.1	1.2	2.4	12.6
Josh Smith	2005	2006	154	4609	.438	1.0	.286	.705	7.7	2.5	1.0	2.7	2.3	12.6

Provided by Basketball-Reference.com: View Original Table
Generated 7/29/2015.

Scarily similar, right?

In fact, only blocks could be highlighted as any sort of meaningful difference. Giannis has shot more three-point attempts than legendary chucker Smith did to the same point, and he’s only made marginally more.

Nov 25, 2014; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Milwaukee Bucks guard Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) drives for a shot as Detroit Pistons forward Josh Smith (6) defends during the third quarter at BMO Harris Bradley Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports

To hone in on the positives though, we’re talking about two freakishly long and athletic three/four swingmen who can influence and disrupt a game on both ends. Stat sheet stuffers.

Getting back to the matter at hand, Antetokounmpo is an incredibly capable passer, which in itself led to speculation of him becoming a point guard experiment last season. Giannis is tracking ahead of where Smith was through two years, but from there on the Atlanta native kicked on to a point where he now averages 3.2 dimes a night for his career.

If Giannis can follow that lead, without becoming as shot happy, he’ll be one of the league’s premier offensive forwards regardless of how a lot of the rest of his game irons itself out.

This sort of creative flexibility is vital in the modern NBA, and the fact that the Bucks have talented passers amongst their big men should not be overlooked.

If both Monroe and Antetokounmpo continue to hone their playmaking skills, good luck trying to stop these Bucks in the future.

Next: Is Khris Middleton The Next Jimmy Butler? Stats Say He's Close

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