For as good as he's been, Milwaukee Bucks wing AJ Green has always been plagued by foul trouble. This season, with the biggest role of his young NBA career, Green's problems have only been under a brighter spotlight. Currently, that hasn't bode well for his foul woes, as he has 48 of them on the year, the second-most by any guard in the NBA. That stat has caused a world of problems for Milwaukee.
Green's breakout hindered by foul trouble
Green is having a career year, averaging 10.9 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 3.1 perimeter makes per game, all the best numbers in his career. Yet, despite clearly being a player who can help this team, he's logging just 28.1 minutes. That's not because Doc Rivers has forgotten about him. It's because he'd be fouling out far too often if he got more time.
It feels like AJ Green gets himself into early foul trouble almost every night. In fact, 20 of Green's 48 personal fouls have come in the first quarter this season. Unsurprisingly, that ranks first in the NBA among all players, not just guards. The next closest player on the list is Isaiah Jackson, who has 15. That's why Green ranks fifth in first-quarter minutes per game on the Milwaukee Bucks.
To be fair, Green isn't out there just whacking people. He's not perfect, but he certainly doesn't have the best whistle from officials, either. Due to him consistently guarding bigger players, he rarely gets the benefit of the doubt and is whistled despite being able to hold his own at times. It's an unfair reality he must accept.
Of course, there are also times when Green does blatantly commit a foul, whether due to a reach or getting a little too physical. It happens. Yet, with how poorly he is officiated, those are the types of fouls that Bucks fans can only groan at. The Milwaukee Bucks need their sharpshooting wing on the floor as much as possible, and it starts with cutting back on the fouls.
Green cannot afford to get into foul trouble with Giannis Antetokounmpo set to be out for the next week or two due to a groin strain. This team needs all hands on deck, and if Green is on the bench with multiple fouls right off the bat, it will be harder to keep the ship afloat.
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