For two years, the Milwaukee Bucks' most prominent weakness outside of health has been defense. Whether it's on the perimeter or in the interior, they've had their glaring faults, but they should be far better in that regard this coming season. Without any All-Defensive acquisitions, the rest of the NBA might not think so, but the blueprint to succeed is right there.
Bucks' defense has the makings to be formidable next season
Milwaukee was consistently one of the best defensive teams under Mike Budenholzer due to the personnel in town. Giannis Antetokounmpo was a Defensive Player of the Year. Brook Lopez was in that conversation often. Perimeter defenders like Jrue Holiday, Wesley Matthews, Jevon Carter, and Pat Connaughton, before his regression, helped this team boast a strong all-around defense.
Things have changed over the last two years, with the Bucks becoming more of an offense-first unit at the expense of their defense. There were glimpses of strong defense here and there, but none of it was ever consistent. The many roster holes were as clear as day.
Look at the reigning NBA Champion OKC Thunder. They were such a strong defensive unit because they could throw almost anyone on the court due to their ability to defend multiple positions. Rarely did they get caught in mismatches. Whether due to a lack of size, speed, athleticism, or some other attribute, the Bucks were often on the opposite side of the spectrum.
While Milwaukee might not have as formidable of a defensive unit as OKC, they have the personnel now to at least be better than the past two seasons.
They've largely given up on relying on seasoned veterans to play crucial roles. Damian Lillard, though he always put forth good effort defensively, was undersized and got put into mismatches. Gone. The man in the middle, Brook Lopez, couldn't move like he used to and got hunted often. Gone. As much as the Bucks could use a small forward, Khris Middleton's defense was lacking near the end. Gone.
With Taurean Prince currently the oldest player on the roster at 31, it's clear that the Milwaukee Bucks want to play a brand of defense that relies on youth, athleticism, versatility, and grit.
Myles Turner has the chops to provide quality interior defense while also moving out to the perimeter. Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. are as pesky as they come. AJ Green and Gary Trent Jr. can take on players bigger than them and generate stops. Kyle Kuzma, despite struggling overall last season, was a fine defensive player. Giannis Antetokounmpo is still a Defensive Player of the Year-level threat. Even buried deep on the bench are Gary Harris and Jericho Sims, two players who have turned heads in their careers due to quality defense.
There aren't many flat-out weak links. Even if there are, the Milwaukee Bucks have some personnel to cover for them with other players.
If Doc Rivers puts the right pieces together, he has a chance to form a formidable defensive lineup no matter who is on the basketball court. It could be one of the team's greatest strengths, which could be a shocking turn of events for the rest of the NBA, who are largely only focused on whether or not they might have a chance to trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
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