Milwaukee Bucks: 3 improvements to make after Game 1 loss to Phoenix Suns

The Milwaukee Bucks must improve transition defense after Game 1 loss

While the Bucks’ defense has gotten plenty of examinations in the aftermath of their Game 1 loss, there’s a number of areas that do seem correctable.

Among the biggest is being more locked in when getting back in transitioning and defending a Suns team that doesn’t look to push the pace as Paul-led teams do. To that point, the Suns played their second-fastest game of their playoff run Tuesday night as Game 1 had a pace of 101.5 possessions.

That pace suited the Suns very well and it helped them score a playoff-high 20 fast break points, which also doubles as the highest amount of fast break points the Bucks have allowed this postseason.

The following three by Cam Johnson that was set up off a baseline drive by Devin Booker against a scrambling Bucks defense was certainly quite the snapshot of the lack of connectivity the Bucks had in getting back on defense. The fact that it came after a make from the Bucks and a transition score from Bobby Portis made it that much tough to stomach.

Per Inpredictable, the Suns scored 1.06 points per possession after a Bucks made field goal.

Considering that, along with the Bucks’ fouling troubles that led to 24 free throws for the Suns, there is certainly things that Milwaukee can do to improve in this area. Better communication and better discipline, the kind of which we’ve come to expect from the Bucks over the Bud era, is absolutely key going into Game 2.

We’ll just have to see whether Bucks can improve upon these areas and more going into Game 2 and can ultimately take a game in Phoenix will go a long way in evening up this series. Thursday night awaits.