Milwaukee Bucks: Will new-look defense sacrifice steals and blocks?

With the Milwaukee Bucks set for a defensive overhaul under new head coach Mike Budenholzer, will we see their steals and blocks drop off?

It’s no secret how problematic the Milwaukee Bucks’ defense became over the past couple of seasons, but while their over-aggressive style led to obvious and more deep-rooted problems, it also created some often under-discussed positives too.

In both the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, the Bucks somewhat ironically stood out among the NBA’s elite teams in terms of the most basic and easily accessible counting stats.

Through both of those campaigns, the Bucks ranked in the top-10 in both steals and blocks, while they only narrowly missed out on the 2015-16 season also fitting into that category by ranking 13th in steals.

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Last season, Milwaukee finished second in steals per game, fifth in blocks per game, and yet as a testament to how dysfunctional their defense was overall, a late season improvement still only resulted in a 17th placed finish in terms of defensive rating.

While the difference in those defensive departments may seem jarring, it acts as a perfect illustration of how Milwaukee has played on the defensive end in recent years and what exactly was wrong with that approach.

The Bucks are often described as a team stacked with above-average individual defenders, and combined with their athleticism, putting a focus on steals and blocks makes some sense due to the potential it creates for transition points on the offensive end.

Milwaukee’s problems on the defensive end could be attributed to positioning as much as anything, though, and the over-aggressive hunting for highlight-worthy defensive plays can certainly be paired as a companion to the mindset that led to frequent and unnecessary double teams too.

The balance between these various elements creates one of the most fascinating questions as Mike Budenholzer takes over as the coach in Milwaukee. Budenholzer has been vocal about how he views his new team’s defensive potential, and as he works toward something of an overhaul with his assistants, it remains to be seen whether some of the very few positive elements from the previous scheme can transition to a new approach.

One consideration that will have to be made in that regard is how influential steals and blocks have been on the offensive end for the Bucks. There’s a strong case to be made that the aggression which led to Milwaukee’s lofty rankings in those departments contributed to their tanking defense, while also fueling what should have been a sluggish offense into overperforming.

In spite of frequently looking directionless and disorganized offensively, the Bucks finished the 2017-18 season ranked seventh in offensive rating. That becomes easier to understand as the Bucks were second in points scored off turnovers and sixth in fastbreak points per game.

Toning down the defensive aggression seems like a guarantee for the new-look Bucks, and it would seem logical for Milwaukee’s steals and blocks to drop-off accordingly as a result.

With that, we’re served with a reminder of just how dramatic the team’s strategic overhaul will need to be heading into the new season, and how beneficial a more simplified, repeatable approach could be on both ends of the floor.

Personnel such as Giannis Antetokounmpo, Eric Bledsoe, Thon Maker and John Henson mean steals and blocks will never be in short supply for the Bucks, but how the team’s totals change could coincide with the adjustments that will define their identity on both ends of the floor in 2018-19 and beyond.