Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from season series with Phoenix Suns

Phoenix Suns burned the Milwaukee Bucks on catch-and-shoot opportunities

All throughout this season, the Suns put together an effective and lethal offensive unit headlined by the maestro-like talents of both Devin Booker and future Hall of Famer, Chris Paul.

Both Booker and Paul rose their games up to the level of the Bucks in the two regular season meetings this year and have obviously battled through plenty of pain to continue lead Phoenix back to the Finals for the first time in 28 years. And with both All-Stars pulling the strings for the Suns’ offense, Phoenix made good on the opportunities generated from the likes of Paul, Booker and as a whole.

To that point, the Suns averaged the most catch-and-shoot points (47.5) of any Bucks opponent this season and they did so on a 70.9 effective field goal percentage, a mark that only trailed the Utah Jazz. That played a large part in why the Suns had seven players average double figures when facing up against the Bucks this season.

The probing that both Booker and Paul do so well at combined with the shooting threats the Suns have collected between the likes of Cam Johnson, Mikal Bridges and the ever-streaky Jae Crowder can test even the greatest defenses.

We’ve obviously seen the Bucks step their game up on that side of the ball over the course of this playoff run. They have the best defensive efficiency by allowing 105 points per 100 possessions against their playoff opponents.

When the Bucks met against the Suns during the regular season, they hadn’t yet fully realized their defensive evolution and didn’t even have the pieces in place like P.J. Tucker like in that February 10 meeting. Even so, staying connected on that side of the floor will be ever so important for a team like the Bucks, especially with the questions surrounding Antetokounmpo’s injury.