Milwaukee Bucks: The formula for defending James Harden

Protecting the paint

The main reason allowing Harden the open lane works for Milwaukee is Brook Lopez and Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s massive presences down low.

The Bucks have run the same conservative drop coverage all year with Lopez hanging back deep in the paint to contest shots at the rim without fouling ,while Antetokounmpo acts as a kind of free safety by clogging up passing lanes and contesting drives with his insane length.

In the following video example, Clint Capela runs the pick & roll with Harden, allowing him to get to his left with Bledsoe trailing following the screen. However, Lopez hanging so far back forces Harden to do one of two things: take a mid-range floater he is unaccustomed to or drive to the basket and try to finish over the much taller defender.

Here, he opts for the latter and is denied at the hoop with both Bledsoe and Lopez contesting:

https://twitter.com/Bucks/status/1110642327675199488

Lopez’s positioning is particularly important in this scheme.

For example, Harden likes to dump it off to Capela in the dunker’s spot when the opposing big man steps up to contest the drive to the lane.

However, by staying back so close to the basket and not stepping up further to contest the drive, Lopez is still in position to contest either Harden’s finish or Capela’s attempt at the rim following the dish. He also has the size and length to potentially clog up the passing lane completely.

In instances when it is not possible for Lopez to contest Harden’s drive and stay close enough to his man, a help defender, typically Giannis when he’s on the floor, will tag Lopez’s man as he rolls to the hoop, trusting others to rotate to any kick-out to the perimeter.

Consequently, Capela was limited to 4-of-16 shooting in the Rockets’ first matchup against Milwaukee.

Since Capela’s lack of a three-ball renders him incapable of spreading the floor on offense, Lopez is able to stay close enough to the basket to contest most drives.

In this interview, Eric Bledsoe emphasizes just how important Lopez and Antetokounmpo were to stopping Harden and Capela at the rim: