AJ Green is off to an excellent start for the Milwaukee Bucks, building on last season's growth to take another step forward. What the Bucks haven't seen so far is a breakout game to herald the leap many hope is coming. With Taurean Prince sidelined indefinitely and Gary Trent Jr. slumping, now is the perfect time for a night where Green lights the net on fire.
The time is ripe for an 'AJ Green game'
Green is already converting threes at a blistering 47.2 percent clip. His scoring and volume are up, not just in absolute numbers but in his per-minute averages. His 10.9 points and 6.5 triple tries per game are more than you would get by simply accounting for his increase in playing time versus last year.
Vindicating his promotion to the starting five, Green has produced steadily on a game-to-game basis, scoring at least nine points in all but two contests. Not prone to the typical shooter's streakiness, he has failed to sink multiple 3-point shots only once. He is getting up consistent volume every game.
Moving forward, the Milwaukee Bucks might like a bit more than just consistency. Prince will be out longer than expected with a neck strain. Trent can't seem to find his rhythm. Green has two games of 15-plus points, and his season high is 20. Missing production from a couple of key shooters, the offense could use a shot in the arm.
The Bucks don't want Green hoisting indiscriminately, of course, but the door is wide open for him to step up his volume. He is already incredibly efficient, shooting less than 40 percent from deep twice all year. Even if his percentages tick down due to higher volume, he has a very high efficiency floor.
Increasing his attempts per game wouldn't have to involve sacrificing the quality of his looks. The Bucks are missing 3.5 attempts per game from Prince. Amir Coffey isn't supplying the difference. Trent hasn't been reliable. Having a hot hand is Green's default setting. Doc Rivers should give him the green light to keep shooting and then shoot some more.
For that to happen, it's worth noting, one thing Green must do is cut down on defensive fouls (he's committing 3.6 per game). While he can be vulnerable trying to guard big, physical wings, he is such a weapon on the other end that his overall on-off rating is plus-13.3 per Cleaning the Glass. The more Green minutes, the better. Just staying on the floor should give him extra opportunities to shoot.
Bucks fans would love to see a game where Green jacks up 10, 12, or even 15 treys and pours in 30 points. His current career-high is 27, achieved midway through the 2023-24 season. Now averaging over double the minutes, Green feels overdue to set a new one. The Milwaukee Bucks have every excuse to give him that chance.