Milwaukee Bucks: The Case For Late Game Tony Snell

Tony Snell is giving the Milwaukee Bucks more than they could have hoped for through two games. And following some missed open shots in a close finish to Game 2, fans are wondering where Snell was down the stretch.

In Tuesday’s game, Tony Snell played almost 31 minutes – up from about 24 on Saturday. And the reviews are in: more Tony in the closing minutes, please.

You could make millions of dollars from Bucks fans (or billions of dollars from Bulls fans) if you were to go back in time and bet them on whether Tony Snell playing only 31 minutes in the playoffs would have fans clamoring for more.

Tony Snell is a bad man, apparently. Look at that sweet dunk. Plus, he’s shooting 53.8 percent from behind the three-point line on 6.5 attempts per game. And unsurprising to me, the Bucks are doing pretty well, if you hadn’t heard.

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Through two games, Snell has played 27.5 minutes per game and is averaging 12.5 points on 69.4 percent true-shooting.

The problem is Snell is averaging only 0.3 minutes in the fourth quarter – his only action came in Game 2 where he played a total of 36 seconds in the fourth.

If having to make minutes for Tony Snell is a problem, however, the Bucks will certainly take it. Remember just a few weeks ago when an injury to Malcolm Brogdon stretched the guards thin. Finding extra minutes will be tough — assuming Jason Kidd is still relying on Matthew Dellavedova’s grit and playoff experience.

Here’s the thing: I think I get it. I think I understand #PlayoffDelly.

Look at that. That play doesn’t happen in the regular season. This is the postseason, and I finally understand what all of my Cleveland Cavaliers friends have been talking about all of these years.

We shouldn’t be asking about whether or not #PlayoffDelly should be playing, rather how much should he play. We should be arguing over whether or not he’s elite, and if the running floater is the greatest shot since Kareem’s skyhook.

To be fair, even if the numbers don’t confirm #PlayoffDelly, the Raptors spent their time up to Game 2 promoting the legend. He was in their heads. Dwane Casey allegedly wasn’t going to bed thinking about him — a fact he pointed out along with disputing 18 of Delly’s “illegal” screens.

It sure sounds like #PlayoffDelly isn’t in your head, Dwane. Good one.

#PlayoffDelly has its limits, though. Namely shooting. He’s just 2-of-9 from three-point range in two games. That’s fine. I’ve watched the games; he knows how long his goofy form takes to get a shot off, and he isn’t out there forcing threes.

The thing is, the Bucks are getting uncontested looks. They’re passing the ball extremely well (Did you see Thon?), and the movement has led to some wide-open threes.

In terms of open shots, Tony Snell was behind only Greg Monroe in uncontested field goal percentage (UFG%) in Game 2. Snell made 5-of-6 uncontested shots compared to Dellavedova making 3-of-8, or Brogdon making 1-of-4.

Ignore the fact Snell was 2-of-9 (22.2 percent) on uncontested shots in Saturday’s game. He was hot on Tuesday — let him shoot.

The debate here doesn’t really include Brogdon, however. The rookie has impressed and earned his spot as the lead guard in Milwaukee’s rotation. The question is whether or not Kidd should cut into Delly’s playing time down the stretch to fit in Snell.

Speaking of Jason Kidd: in a comment made on Wednesday, insisted Snell did nothing to earn his bench seat during the fourth, and that regardless of who was in, they still got chances to win.

"“I think Delly and Malcolm play well together. Unfortunately, it’s just like the bigs, someone has to sit. Tony hasn’t done anything wrong. Tony is playing extremely well for us. It was a call I felt comfortable with. Again, looking at it, we got the looks that we wanted, they just didn’t go down for us. We got the stops to get back in the game.You know, it could be Malcolm or it could by Delly sitting and Tony in, but it’s about the team, we’ve always said that. It’s not built around one guy. Those guys that were in, we got the looks that we wanted, they just didn’t go down for us.”"

That may be true. But come on. Snell has been stroking it, and if you’re moving the ball well and getting open looks, you need to keep your best shooters on the floor.

Add to that Snell’s ability to guard DeMar DeRozan — as much as you can guard DeRozan. Because of Snell’s length (and Brogdon’s), they are able to pester DeRozan’s shot better than Dellavedova.

This is all nit-picking, though, to be fair. The Bucks are still in a great position going into Game 3 at the BMO Harris Bradley Center.

If you need to play Dellavedova and Brogdon together, add in Snell and Middleton with Giannis anchoring the small-ball lineup. Or if they’re looking to steal some points while Giannis is refueling, put the same four around Greg Monroe using the same philosophy of filling the court with shooters around a good-passing center.

And I understand going to Mirza Teletovic off the bench. In fact, I’m a big Mirza fan. Regardless of output, he is guarded as if he shoots 90 percent, but maybe when it becomes clear he isn’t feeling it, keep him on the shelf in the second half and make an effort to move the ball through Snell.

Jumping from around six attempts to about eight attempts per game isn’t much of a jump, but it could pay off huge against a high-powered offense like Toronto.

Whatever the solution is, it’s crazy to think how we got here. From being traded for Michael Carter-Williams (!!) before the season began and filling in for Middleton, to staying in the lineup down the stretch after Jabari went down, Snell has made the most of every opportunity.

Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Thon Maker’s Defense Set The Tone In Game 1

What’s to think he can’t keep it up, given the chance?