Milwaukee Bucks: 3 keys to victory when hosting Portland Trail Blazers

Third key to victory when hosting Portland Trail Blazers – Milwaukee Bucks need to defend the 3-pointer

The Bucks are having significant issues defending the 3-pointer for the third consecutive season. Milwaukee’s opponents are shooting 39.5 percent from behind the arc this year, the second-highest mark in the league, and if recent results continue, that doesn’t bode well against the Blazers.

Portland is second in 3-point attempts (42.4) and 10th in percentage (37.6), meaning things could get hectic for Milwaukee in a hurry. When their opponents knock down triples with consistency, the lead starts to climb, and the Bucks are soon down double digits.

This has been evident in their last two matchups on their most recent road trip, which proved to be a grueling experience. Milwaukee gave up 21 3-pointers to New Orleans, which tied a franchise record. The very next night, they let Charlotte hit 21 triples. These teams entered their matchups against the Bucks as near bottom-tier 3-point shooting teams, but that certainly did not appear to be the case as they combined to hit 42 shots from long-range.

If the subpar shooting teams are exploiting the Bucks like this, one of the better shooting teams like the Blazers could demolish them. Time and time again, the importance of 3-point defense has haunted the Bucks, and it has come far earlier than the Bucks are typically accustomed to seeing.

This will be a sizeable test for the Bucks as they seek to put a stop to their two-game losing streak, and you can catch the action tonight at 7:00 p.m. on Fox Sports Wisconsin.