Milwaukee Bucks: 3 keys to victory against New Orleans Pelicans
![Dec 18, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports) Dec 18, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA (Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/92ba18136e6cb2d704a0a24ecd870078aa920f58cec65855dfa65e827fac5680.jpg)
Second key against New Orleans Pelicans – Milwaukee Bucks win rebounding battle
Controlling the battle of the boards has been key to the Bucks’ success under Budenholzer, but they’ve done so in a different fashion this season. That points to the Bucks’ reworked offensive system and the emphasis they have made in crashing the offensive glass to the point that they rank fifth in offensive rebounding percentage.
Right ahead of the Bucks, if you haven’t caught on here, is the Pelicans and they’re doing that while having the highest defensive rebounding percentage this year at 76.3 percent. The Bucks have slipped in this department as they currently post a 75.1 defensive rebounding percentage this season.
And considering that both the Bucks and the Pelicans are neck-in-neck in second chance points at third and fourth place, respectively, how both teams respond to each other’s rebounding strengths and physicality will make for an interesting storyline to follow.
For the Bucks being able to neutralize Williamson in the paint and account for his presence and his ability to fly in and convert amazing putback dunks will rival the Pelicans trying to keep a body on the Bucks’ many willing offensive rebounders.
Clearly finishing out defensive possessions by pulling down any and all Pelicans misses will be high on the Bucks’ to-do list for Budenholzer going into the night. From that point, it goes down to Milwaukee’s execution on that side of the ball.