Milwaukee Bucks: 3 concerns currently looming during the final stretch
By Dalton Sell
Opponents are exploiting the Milwaukee Bucks’ 3-point defense
Milwaukee’s issues defending the 3-pointer are nothing new. In fact, their struggles in that area have become a staple for the Bucks since Mike Budenholzer took over as head coach.
That has been the case yet again this year, particularly following the All-Star break, where Milwaukee’s numbers are certainly concerning. Per NBA.com/stats, the Bucks’ opponents are heaving the most triples among any team in the league on a nightly basis following the break with 41.4 attempts per game in total. They are finding success in that area by connecting on 15.5 of those attempts, also the highest mark in the league during that span.
Seeing these numbers are unquestionably worrisome, given how teams have exposed the Bucks with the long ball over the past two years. Milwaukee’s defense under Budenholzer has always focused on packing the paint and encouraging opponents to let it fly from behind the arc. It might have worked in each of the past two regular seasons as the Bucks boasted the league’s best defense, but that success has not translated into the postseason to hardly any extent.
To rub salt into the wound, Budenholzer has remained firm with his defensive beliefs and opted not to make any major adjustments to combat the onslaught of triples his team was enduring. This was particularly the case in the team’s second round blunder against the Miami Heat last season, where the team that had the second-best 3-point percentage in the league torched Milwaukee from the outside en route to a gentlemen’s sweep.
This year, Budenholzer has been pried away from his typical approach and has implemented new defensive schemes at times. Circling back to Saturday’s loss against Memphis, the Bucks played man defense throughout a large portion of the game but switched to a 2-3 zone later on to throw something different at the Grizzlies. Although it did not result in a victory, it was a welcoming sign to see the former coach switch things up when something is not going right.
The Bucks have the tools to be a formidable defensive unit for opponents, particularly on the perimeter. They have Jrue Holiday, the two-time All-Defensive honoree that many of his peers have pegged as the best defender in the association, regardless of position. Milwaukee also happens to have the reigning Defensive Player of the Year in Giannis Antetokounmpo, who needs little introduction when it comes to making his presence felt on the defensive end.
On top of that, they traded for defensive specialist P.J. Tucker before the deadline to shore up their efforts on that side of the ball. Tucker gives Milwaukee another versatile piece to throw at opposing players, but it will be interesting to see how Budenholzer continues using the robust defender in specific situations. Part of what makes Tucker so dynamic on defense is his ability to switch and stick with any opponent. Budenholzer has typically strayed away from switching on defense, but it seems that he has warmed up to the idea to an extent this season, particularly since bringing aboard Tucker.
However, he will have to be willing to adjust if this team will see any success down the line. The same issue that has previously derailed Milwaukee’s title hopes is rearing its ugly head yet again, and the Bucks must find some success defending the perimeter, or they could be doomed to suffer the same fate yet again.