3 adjustments for the Milwaukee Bucks after first two games vs. Boston
By Eliot Javers
No. 2 – The Milwaukee Bucks role players must be more aggressive
In Game 2, Bucks starters not named Jrue Holiday or Giannis Antetokounmpo took 11 total shots. The bench took 12 total shots before garbage time and the end of the bench came in. That is unacceptable, and can’t happen if the Bucks want to regain control of this series. On top of that, the Bucks only took 18 3-pointers, while the Celtics made 20 of them. Once again, that can’t happen if the Bucks want to win this series.
As previously discussed, the Celtics have been showing multiple bodies towards Giannis at every opportunity possible. That means that there are open shooters, and when the shooter catches the ball, they have to take the shot. Against the Celtics’ defense, there is no turning down a good shot for a better shot. Chances are, the good shot will be the best shot the Bucks get the whole possession. There were multiple instances where the Bucks role players looked hesitant and didn’t want to take the shot given to them.
With Khris Middleton out, someone has to step up and score points outside of Antetokounmpo and Holiday. If that doesn’t happen, Game 2 happens where the Bucks scored 86 points. There is clear food left on the table here for the Bucks. There have been many instances where the Celtics have been comfortable putting Jayson Tatum on Brook Lopez because the Bucks have not shown they are willing to punish the Celtics when they do switch. That must change. If the Bucks start hunting Brook post-ups when the Celtics switch a smaller player on him, that changes the formula for the Celtics’ defense.
Boston prefers to have Robert Williams III lurking as a help defender to clean up in the paint if someone blows by their initial defender. If the Celtics are forced to put Williams on Lopez, that means Jayson Tatum is the help defender. Life would be infinitely easier for Giannis or really any Buck who gets into the paint. Role players for the Bucks actively hunting out their own shot might be the most important key for Milwaukee to move on.