Ultimate preview for Milwaukee Bucks playoff matchup vs Chicago Bulls

What are the biggest things to look out for in the Milwaukee Bucks series against the Chicago Bulls?

In a series where the Milwaukee Bucks are expected to dominate, there are still a few things to look out for in their first-round series against the Chicago Bulls.

Some are series-specific, but others are more over-arching questions that need to be answered ahead of their (hopefully) deep playoff run.

First of all, will Wesley Matthews remain in the starting lineup over Grayson Allen?

This seems to be a series where the Bucks need Matthews’ defense more than Allen’s shooting, but it’s never a bad idea to have a near 41 percent 3-point shooter in your starting lineup.

There have been a lot of questions surrounding Matthews and if he deserves to remain in the starting five. The fact of the matter is that he allows the Bucks to be more diverse in their defensive coverages. One-on-one numbers or matchups aren’t the be-all, end-all and it’s clear that head coach Mike Budenholzer believes Matthews allows them to mix up their defensive coverages and likes Allen’s offense off the bench.

Another big question is if Jevon Carter can crack the Bucks’ playoff rotation. George Hill missed the final couple of regular-season games with a back injury but a week off may have been exactly what he needs to get his back (and lingering neck issue) healthy enough for the playoffs.

Whether that’s the case or not, Carter should be in the rotation regardless. He has shown an ability to defend at the point of attack better than almost anyone not named Jrue Holiday on the roster and has knocked down enough shots to warrant a spot in the rotation. I don’t want to sound too confident but the Bucks should be able to handle the Bulls while rolling out a bigger rotation and not taxing the starters with heavy minutes, thus leading to Carter being more involved.

For this series, in particular, I’m keeping my eye on how the Bucks adjust to defending DeMar DeRozan and Zach LaVine. They’ll face plenty of creative offensive players in the playoffs (whether it be the Bulls’ duo, the two wings from the Boston Celtics, Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, etc.) and I want to see how they plan to shut down two very good wing scorers.

The Bucks may be heavy favorites, but there’s still quite a bit that can be taken away from this series.