Milwaukee Bucks 2017-18 Season Review: Shabazz Muhammad
By Adam McGee
The worst of Muhammad
As a general rule, the best of Muhammad came in short bursts.
When Muhammad came in red-hot to spark a Game 5 surge that brought the Bucks back within touching distance of the Celtics’ lead, Marques Johnson, on the Fox Sports Wisconsin broadcast, spoke of the need for Joe Prunty to pick his spots with the streaky forward to prevent the law of diminishing returns from becoming a factor. Unfortunately, the coach didn’t heed that advice.
On a bench that was often bereft of scoring and energy, and on a team prone to bouts of everything clogging things up and generally slowing down, Muhammad could be relied on to provide a welcome change of pace.
The problems arose if Muhammad’s role was expanded in an impromptu fashion that pushed him into lineups that also included the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jabari Parker.
Muhammad’s inconsistent shooting caused major spacing problems in lineups that were already challenged in that regard, and neither his performance or the team’s was helped on the occasions were Prunty would try to shift him to shooting guard.
Essentially, Muhammad’s lack of versatility created problems and his coach often accentuated them by pairing him with the worst possible combinations.
Muhammad has one speed, and it’s simply go. He’s going to get the ball, he’s going to look to take over and he’s going to score. That kind of player has its uses when star players or offensive leaders need a rest, but his limitations were often exposed when he was inserted into more prominent lineups and ended up taking touches away from better players.