Milwaukee Bucks Chasing Jeff Teague Again?
By Adam McGee
Teague’s Game
The best way of describing Jeff Teague’s game to those who may not watch him all that regularly is that he’s an exceptional “turn of pace” point guard. That’s a pretty big compliment for a point guard too.
Teague does something that’s maybe lost on many of the current crop of point guards blessed with incredible skill and athleticism, he dictates the play.
He can shoot it, but he’s not going to chuck up shot after shot. He’s an outstanding driver, but his first instinct is no longer to put his head down and power his way to the basket every time the ball reaches him. He’s also outstanding with the ball in his hands, but he’s attuned to moving the ball constantly so you’ll rarely find him over-dribbling.
As a result, all of this forces Teague to fly under the conventional radar of top class point guards, yet it’s his subtlety and understanding of how to play the game that makes him the perfect floor general for a team interested in winning rather than individual numbers.
When Mike Budenholzer came to Atlanta, he told Teague:
"We’re going to do something totally different than what you’re used to."
As a disciple of Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, Coach Bud had spent many years working alongside Tony Parker, and for many the discussion with the Hawks was centered around how Teague could be made to resemble the Frenchman, if at all.
Budenholzer installed his own free-flowing system with the Hawks, built upon fundamentals of accountability, spacing, constant movement, and five men working as a unit. If you were to simplify it, you’d call it a read and react offense.
That didn’t alter Teague’s style of play as much as it challenged him to think a lot more, while also rewarding him with greater freedom to get to work. Teague would have to be the brains behind the team’s frequent use of the pick-and-roll, but he’d also have to pick the openings afforded to allow him to drive and take advantage.
He has thrived in that environment.
Teague ranked fourth in the league in drives per game in Budenholzer’s first two seasons and in spite of a slight drop off is still as high as sixth this season.
His assist numbers are always solid if not spectacular, but there’s more to them than that. Teague is a regular fixture in the top 15 in the NBA in secondary or hockey assists, and this season he’s as high as second. He’s averaging 2.0 secondary assists per game, a mark only bettered by Stephen Curry.
As a shooter, he ranks sixth among starting NBA point guards in catch and shoot at 45.2 percent, a factor which leads to him being a much improved three-point shooter. Just below 39 percent from deep this season, teams have to respect him, and he can always let fly from above the break.
In three seasons under Budenholzer, Teague is averaging 15.9 points, 6.6 assists, 2.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game.
Teague’s stats on a basic level are solid and impressive, but what you see above are better indicators of how he operates. The former Wake Forest Demon Deacon has developed into a player who doesn’t over-exert himself and plays with his brain rather than his body.
Next: How Would Teague Fit In Milwaukee?