Milwaukee Bucks: 3 things preventing success against Brooklyn Nets
By Dalton Sell
The Milwaukee Bucks have forgotten how to score against the Brooklyn Nets
You would not be able to tell by watching this series, but the Bucks were the best scoring team during the regular season this year by scoring 120.1 points per game.
That number has dipped tremendously over the past two games as Milwaukee is averaging just 96.5 points per game against Brooklyn. Those aforementioned turnover numbers have certainly played a massive factor in this predicament on offense, but it does not help that this team cannot buy a bucket by shooting just 44.3 percent from the floor.
The biggest issue is the team’s once-promising 3-point shooting, which has flipped right on its head to this point. Shooting just 14-of-57 (24.6 percent) from behind the arc against the Nets, one of Milwaukee’s strongest attributes as a team has become their weakness once more. When those triples are not fallen, as seen in the previous two trips to the playoffs, the Bucks are practically doomed.
Just like in previous years, everyone has gone ice cold from deep. Second unit guard Bryn Forbes, who proved to be a lifeline from deep last round, has started the series off shooting just 3-of-9 from long range. Jrue Holiday has matched him with three triples in nine attempts, and Giannis Antetokounmpo continues heaving triples despite being 2-of-8 thus far.
However, the player struggling the most, not just from 3-point range, but from everywhere on the floor remains Middleton. The forward has gotten off to an abysmal start this series by scoring 30 total points while shooting a horrific 13-of-43 from the field, including just 3-of-13 from deep. Milwaukee’s offense has drastically taken a hit due to his intense struggles, and they will continue to do so as long as he remains out of a rhythm.