3 keys for Milwaukee Bucks to take crucial 3-1 lead vs. Boston Celtics

Jrue Holiday needs to have a more efficient and smarter offensive game for the Milwaukee Bucks

It’s hard for me to complain too much about Jrue Holiday‘s offense given what he’s asked to do on defense and then also has to have a larger offensive role without Middleton, but it’s really hard to watch sometimes.

Holiday has averaged 23 points on 46 percent true shooting in this series which is right around what he shot in last year’s playoffs.

I’ll start with some of the positives from his offensive game. He’s got a turnover rate under 10 percent in the first three games of this series. That’s over five percent lower than his regular-season turnover rate and he’s playing more minutes per game. There are a couple of head-scratching turnovers here and there but overall he’s been much better in protecting the rock.

He has also been aggressive in helping on the offensive glass with four offensive boards in three games. That was a big in the Bucks’ title run last year and with the Celtics’ size, they haven’t been able to do as much of it in this series.

I’ve also liked that Holiday has stayed aggressive through his shooting struggles. Milwaukee needs his offense more than ever right now and can’t afford him to be passive.

But the decision-making on some of his shots has been baffling at times.

I get that the playoffs call for more isolation possessions, trying to iso against the Celtics’ length just hasn’t worked at all for him. In most situations, getting a switch onto a big is a good thing for a guard like Holiday but when it’s Robert Williams, one of the best switch bigs in the league, don’t do it!

Against Williams, Grant Williams, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum, Holiday is shooting 14-of-46 (30.4 percent) from the field and has been blocked six times. Against Al Horford and Marcus Smart, he’s shooting 11-of-21 (52.3 percent).

Again, I can’t complain too much because the Celtics’ defense can key in on him more without Middleton, and with the effort he’s expending on defense, it’s hard to be elite at both ends like that. But I just want a little better decision-making and shot selection in Game 4.

Fewer isolation possessions, more movement, and pick-and-rolls. The Bucks’ offense is at its best when they’re moving and getting guys involved.

I expect Holiday to be better in Game 4 for the Milwaukee Bucks because, well, it couldn’t be much worse than 25 points on 30 shots!