Milwaukee Bucks: Best and Worst (January 6 – February 2)

Best: Trust Tony

This isn’t so much of a recent trend as I usually cover in this column, but Tony Snell’s play deserves some recognition. As we’ve watched him settle into his role with a new team, Snell has become increasingly consistent in doing just enough so that he doesn’t outpace his own abilities.

Per-game averages of 8.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists on 45 percent shooting reflect this perfectly – certainly telling of someone impacting the game, but not of a player demanding more than they can produce.

No one will ever mistake him for a star, or even a high-caliber starter, but you’ll often see him making his presence felt in his own areas of specialty, namely outside shooting and perimeter defense.

Snell is shooting a respectable 37 percent from behind the arc on 4.5 attempts per game, which ranks second on the team behind only Mirza Teletovic. As his shot has settled down from its early-season shakiness, he’s shown a knack for hitting threes in the clutch, including this dagger against the Rockets.

It’s hard to quantify his individual defensive impact because of the Bucks’ struggles on that end (covered later), but he does post a comparably respectable 107.9 defensive rating. At 6’7″, he can guard almost anyone on the wing, using his nearly seven-foot wingspan to alter passes and contest shots.