Milwaukee Bucks: 3 Grayson Allen stats that should spark early optimism

28.6 percent of Grayson Allen’s passes have come from Giannis Antetokounmpo, the most among any other teammate on the Milwaukee Bucks

Part of the reason why Allen has gotten so many 3-point attempts is because of playing next to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Previous players, whether it be Forbes, Kyle Korver, Wesley Matthews, or even Middleton, have all benefitted with their outside shooting due to the gravity that the MVP commands whenever he is on the floor. As evidenced by his number of attempts, Allen is seeing it throughout these first eight games.

The guard has been on the receiving end of 50 passes from Antetokounmpo, by far the most he has seen from any Buck. Allen is paying it off by shooting 11-of-25 (44 percent) from the field and 9-of-22 (40.9 percent) on triples off those passes. With stellar numbers like that, the newcomer is surely earning the trust of Antetokounmpo as he looks to get more familiar with the system. That chemistry between the two will be pivotal as the year goes on, especially when the postseason rolls around.

Numbers like this are precisely why the Bucks handed Allen a lucrative contract extension before he even played a game with the franchise. The 26-year-old is a perfect complement to Giannis in the lineup and he will continue to see a multitude of wide-open looks every night. Being a shooter and playing alongside Antetokounmpo is a dream come true for most. Allen is currently finding it out firsthand, and the early returns are surely promising.

Overall, Allen’s tenure with the Bucks is off to a solid start, and the guard is still not playing up to his full potential with all the wide-open misses. Antetokounmpo will continue to keep trying to get Allen going each and every night with his share of passes, and it will be Allen’s job to hit them.

Some might be skeptical after this small eight-game stretch, but the potential for this experiment to succeed has been on full display.