3 keys for the Milwaukee Bucks to re-take series lead vs Boston Celtics

On the flip side, the Milwaukee Bucks need to generate more 3s overall

If the Bucks and Celtics swapped their amount of 3-point attempts from Game 2 in today’s game… I’m not saying I’d be upset by it. Milwaukee shot 18 3s in Game 2 and four of them came from Antetokounmpo.

14 non-Giannis 3s is just unacceptable for an NBA game in 2022 especially when you have guys like Bobby Portis, Pat Connaughton, and Grayson Allen in the rotation. Those three combined for five of the 18 3s, by the way.

I didn’t recognize the Bucks’ offense in Game 2, it was gross. A lot of isolation possessions where they’d get a switch onto Robert Williams and just… try to shoot over him? There was a lot less ball movement, the drive and kicks weren’t as crisp and there has to be some credit given to the Celtics for that. They’re one of the best defenses in the NBA and you saw that on display in Game 2.

According to Cleaning the Glass, the Bucks took a grand total of four corner 3s last game. They shot 9.5 per game in the regular season and hit 39.5 percent of them. They absolutely must generate more corner 3s, but also just generating more 3s in general.

Allen and Portis have been huge in picking up the offensive burden left by not having Khris Middleton. Not having either of them playing well essentially dooms the Bucks without their second-leading scorer.

Part of that comes from Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday kicking out earlier so the defense doesn’t have time to rotate but also on those guys to be aggressive. I won’t lump Connaughton in with that as he went 5-for-5 inside the arc and looked good driving against Boston’s scrambled defense.

Perhaps some home cooking can help the defending champs cook up some 3s today.

Tip-off for Game 3 at Fiserv Forum is at 2:30 pm CT as the Milwaukee Bucks look to regain control of the series lead.