Milwaukee Bucks: 3 decisions that helped the Bucks win 2021 NBA title
By Dalton Sell
Every single move that the Milwaukee Bucks have made over the past several years has revolved around winning an NBA championship.
To narrow things down, this past year has been an eventful one as the clock seemed to be ticking on the Bucks for many different reasons. After consecutive letdowns in the postseason, 2020-21 was the season that this team needed to break the spell and win it all, which they ultimately did, having rewritten the script. The front office made a slew of moves over the past year to help the franchise reach this glory, but three stand out above the others. With that being said, let us take a look at three decisions made over the past year that helped the Bucks become world champions.
Decisions that helped the Milwaukee Bucks win 2021 NBA title: No. 3 – Trading for P.J. Tucker
Milwaukee’s recent history of mid-season acquisitions has not been too appealing, most notably because of the Nikola Mirotic deal. However, the Bucks looked like they had struck gold when they pulled the trigger on a deal for defensive ace P.J. Tucker back in March. Several contenders across the league had been trying to get their hands on Tucker, and it was the Bucks that thankfully won the sweepstakes.
Although there were some injury issues with Tucker when he first came aboard, that was not an issue because the Bucks were saving him for the postseason. Knowing that they would have to square off against some top-tier talent on the offensive end, having a defensive-minded forward that is as gritty as they come and can guard multiple positions was something this team wanted on their side. Ultimately, that is exactly what happened as Tucker’s defense proved to be crucial all throughout the 2021 playoffs, specifically in round two against the Brooklyn Nets as he hounded Kevin Durant for seven consecutive games.
When starting shooting guard Donte DiVincenzo went down with a season-ending injury in the first round, Tucker gave the Bucks a player that could slide into the lineup immediately. Due to his previous experience in the postseason, Tucker filled the void immediately and played a key role in every series moving forward, oftentimes taking on the most difficult defensive assignment. This trade ultimately turned out to be a massive win for the Bucks, who do not win this title in all likelihood without Tucker’s contributions.