Milwaukee Bucks: 3 reasons not to panic about 6-4 start

No. 2 – The Milwaukee Bucks’ defense is still a work in progress

For the past two seasons under Mike Budenholzer, the Bucks have boasted the league’s best defensive rating. They have been fantastic defensively in the regular season, but their league-leading stature has crumbled in the postseason, which ties into the aforementioned theme of needing to make adjustments.

Defense has been the strongest quality for the franchise with Budenholzer at the helm, which has made it surprising how much they have slipped up this season. Per NBA.com/stats, the Bucks are allowing 108.2 points per 100 possessions, a mark that puts them 14th in defensive efficiency 10 games into their season. That’s quite the slip for what has been a defensive juggernaut.

Milwaukee’s most prominent weakness defensively remains defending the 3-pointer, which can be credited to the drop-back scheme they have adopted that gives opponents the green light on the perimeter.

While it remains to be seen whether the Bucks can conjure up a defense strategy to limit their opponent’s 3-point shooting, they have the personnel to make them a defensive powerhouse.

Sitting atop that list is Giannis Antetokounmpo, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and three-time All-Defensive honoree. Brook Lopez and Jrue Holiday are also a pair of former All-Defensive winners, while Khris Middleton and Donte DiVincenzo can certainly hold their own as well.

For a team predicated on its defensive stature, their struggles on that side of the ball have been puzzling to start the season. With that said, it reflects on a new-look squad that is trying to come together to defend to the standard that the Bucks have set under Budenholzer and hopefully it improves as the season moves forward.