After leveling up the series last time out, the Milwaukee Bucks will look to take control in Game 3 against the Orlando Magic on Saturday.
The Milwaukee Bucks got their postseason back on track with a Game 2 win on Thursday evening, but given their larger aspirations, Game 3 will offer up a chance to really kick on.
The Bucks would love a statement performance that allows them to shed some of the cobwebs that still linger from their bubble struggles up until this point, and if they could make that happen it could certainly provide a welcome jolt of confidence.
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Additionally considering the other three Eastern Conference series have the Boston Celtics, Toronto Raptors, and Miami Heat having yet to taste defeat, the Bucks could do without giving up too much of a rest advantage to the teams they should end up doing battle with on the road ahead.
Game 1 made it clear that there can be no room for complacency when it comes to the prospect of beating the Magic in this series, but it’s also safe to say the Bucks have yet to produce anything beyond maybe 60 percent of their best.
Now wouldn’t be the worst time to move up a gear.
So without further ado, let’s examine three things to watch out for in Game 3 of the Bucks’ series against the Orlando Magic.
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.
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things to watch for in Game 3 vs. Orlando Magic – All eyes on Khris
Khris Middleton would have been hard pressed to start his postseason any worse than he actually has across the first two games of the series with the Orlando Magic.
With just 16 total points on 5-of-20 shooting from the field, and eight turnovers acting as another notable negative, it would seem safe to assume that the only way is up for Middleton from here.
If that’s to be the case, the Bucks need to focus on getting Middleton going, particularly given just how essential he will be to their hopes beyond the current series with the Magic too.
Whether it’s via dribble-handoffs, a steady diet of pick-and-roll play, or setting up looks in some of his favored spots in the mid-range, getting Khris some shots early to build up his confidence is a must.
More than even the misses themselves, what was perhaps most troubling about Middleton’s poor Game 2 was the fact that he only attempted eight field goals.
The Bucks were able to win in spite of such a passive effort from their second star due to strong performances from role players, such as Pat Connaughton. The truth, though, is that those kind of efforts can’t be what’s relied upon.
Instead, the Bucks need their best players to provide a positive baseline for performance, and Middleton must make progress in that regard starting on Saturday.
Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things to watch for in Game 3 vs. Orlando Magic – What will the Magic do next?
After their gameplan worked to perfection in Game 1, what will the Orlando Magic do after they fell to a pretty comprehensive loss in Game 2.
Steve Clifford has a history of getting the absolute most out of his teams in the postseason, and after a strong initial gameplan, the focus will now shift to his adjustments.
Injuries have certainly left Orlando’s hands tied, and with Aaron Gordon currently listed as questionable, that may well remain the case for Game 3.
The Magic could easily hold on and stick with their current strategy, given just how poor their shooting was in Game 2, but given the colossal advantage they held at the free throw line would suggest that even that won’t be enough unless the Bucks post another complete no-show as they did in the opener.
Nikola Vucevic’s level of dominance through two games may also be a stretch to imagine continuing for the entirety of the series. In other words, any hope of the Magic making life more difficult for the Bucks moving forward will hinge on improved performances from the likes of Evan Fournier and Terrence Ross.
The Bucks’ Game 3 clash with the Orlando Magic will tip off at 12 p.m. central time and you can catch the action on TNT, or via Fox Sports Wisconsin for those living locally.