Milwaukee Bucks: 3 keys to victory when visiting Utah Jazz
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks will face a formidable opponent Friday night as they square off against the Utah Jazz in a rematch of two premier contenders.
Utah struck first against the Bucks this season on January 8 with a 131-118 win in Milwaukee. That victory helped ignite a massive spark for the Jazz as they have won 16 of their last 17 games since then. With a 20-5 overall record, Utah currently possesses the best record in the association, and they will certainly be a tough matchup for the Bucks.
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Before Wednesday, Milwaukee had also been thriving as of late, winning five consecutive games. It was nearly six straight, but Giannis Antetokounmpo’s missed jumper at the buzzer against the Phoenix Suns left the Bucks just short with a 125-124 loss. Despite the loss, they are still 16-9, sitting at second place in the Eastern Conference.
Both of these teams have been trending upward in the standings since their first meeting of the season, and their rematch is shaping up to be a good one. With that being said, here are three keys to victory against the Utah Jazz tonight.
First key to victory against Utah Jazz — Milwaukee Bucks need to capitalize down low
The Bucks’ league-leading offense has headlined their strengths this season by currently putting up 121.4 points per game. Versatility has been a crucial component in this system, and they should look to display it in this game by exploiting Utah’s paint defense.
Despite having Rudy Gobert, a two-time Defensive Player of the Year, manning the middle, the Jazz have not been their best defending the paint. With the Jazz letting up 48.1 points in the paint per game, good for 21st in the NBA, the Bucks could take advantage as they are currently the ninth-ranked scoring team in the post at 48.2 points per contest.
Milwaukee’s excellence down low is propelled by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who ranks second in the league among players in points in the paint with 16.6 per game. If the Greek Freak and the rest of the Bucks can cash in on scoring opportunities down low, they will stand in much better shape against this top-tier opponent.