Milwaukee Bucks: Analyzing Thon Maker/Jonas Valanciunas Matchup
By Ti Windisch
Head to Head
Thon Maker and Jonas Valanciunas have only faced off as starters once all season, although both of them have played in all four of the games between Milwaukee and Toronto in the regular season.
More from Behind the Buck Pass
- Bucks 2023-24 player profile: Can MarJon Beauchamp take a leap?
- Piecing together the Milwaukee Bucks’ dream starting 5 in 5 years
- Predicting Thanasis Antetokounmpo’s 2023-24 stats for the Bucks
- Grade the trade: Bucks land reputable backup guard in swap with Pacers
- New workout video should have Milwaukee Bucks fans excited
According to statistics obtained from NBA.com, Thon has yet to score with Valanciunas on the floor this season. They shared the floor for ten minutes over two games played this season, which makes up nearly half of Thon’s 24 minutes played against Toronto.
Maker missed two shots while Valanciunas was defending him, one two-pointer and one three. He also recorded two rebounds, two assists, two fouls and a turnover in their time spent guarding each other, and the Bucks were outscored by ten points in those ten minutes.
Valanciunas had an easy time scoring on Thon, making all three of the shots he attempted in that 10 minutes for eight total points. He also grabbed five rebounds and dished a dime in that time, although the Bucks did manage to force him into turning the ball over twice as well.
In the 14 minutes Thon played against the Raps without Valanciunas around, he scored 11 points and the Bucks beat Toronto by four points. Most of their minutes against each other came in a game in early March, the only time Thon started across from Valanciunas. Although Maker was a -8 in his nine minutes played, Milwaukee won that game.