Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things to watch for in Game 3 vs. Orlando Magic
By Adam McGee
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things to watch for in Game 3 vs. Orlando Magic – Monitoring the foul count
One of the standout takeaways from Game 2 was that in spite of plenty of good play from Milwaukee, and a relatively comfortable win overall, the Bucks found themselves on the wrong side of the foul battle.
Called for 26 fouls as opposed to the Magic’s 18 made for the largest negative foul differential the Bucks have seen in any game over the entire 2019-20 season, while the disparity of 31 Orlando free throws to just 16 for Milwaukee is in many ways even more jarring.
That situation can certainly be attributed to the officiating on the night, but it is also something that reflects some of the larger issues the Bucks have faced since the restart.
Turnovers and fouls have been an issue for Milwaukee, and offensive fouls have played into both of those tallies soaring of late. That’s particularly relevant with Orlando packing the paint against Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Avoiding fouls has been a central concern for the Bucks under Mike Budenholzer’s tenure, and so reining in the countless calls against his team will likely be high on the coach’s list of priorities.