3 Milwaukee Bucks’ X-factors in playoff matchup versus Boston Celtics

Grayson Allen will be a Milwaukee Bucks’ X-factor in their second round series vs. Boston Celtics

Grayson Allen had himself a roller coaster ride of a series in round one against the Bulls. He failed to find a groove throughout the first two games as he scored just three points on 1-of-6 shooting, including 0-of-4 from behind the arc. Once Middleton went down, Allen caught fire as he averaged a blistering 20.7 points while shooting 67.6 percent from the floor and 70 percent from long range in the final three games of the series. Allen did a reputable job of picking up the scoring slack with Middleton out of the lineup, and the Milwaukee Bucks desperately need him to carry the hot hand over into the next round.

As evidenced by the Bulls series, Allen’s offense absolutely makes him an X-factor, as the Bucks finally took off in that matchup after he finally found his stride. Milwaukee will need Allen to step up off the bench once again in this series, and it starts with remaining aggressive. As highlighted by his six shot attempts throughout the first two games, Allen was not looking to score the ball, which prevented him from getting in a rhythm. This is an issue that has hindered him throughout the year, but the guard must come out firing against Boston to prevent another slow start.

The Celtics will primarily focus their defense on slowing down Giannis Antetokounmpo, which will force him to kick it out to the open shooter on the perimeter, which will oftentimes be Allen. If the 26-year-old can continue to let it fly with the utmost confidence and find the bottom of the net at a similar level, he could provide a scoring punch against this robust Boston defense. In a matchup with no Khris Middleton, the Bucks will need the scoring to come from someone else, and though Allen may not go nuclear and average 20 points once again, he could undoubtedly help the cause with another big series.