The Milwaukee Bucks needed to strengthen their perimeter defense this NBA season by any means.
It's still early, but after a slow start, they have done rather well in that regard. Two players who have played a part in that turnaround are Andre Jackson Jr. and Delon Wright. Whenever they touch the basketball court, these two know their primary duty is to hound the opposition. Yet, to play in the big moments, it would also be nice if they had some offensive touch, and neither player has this season.
Bucks' Jackson and Wright have struggled to find a groove on offense
Statistically, not only are these two of the best defenders on the Milwaukee Bucks, but they are two of the best in the NBA.
Against Wright, players are shooting 50-of-127 (39.4 percent) on the season. When matched up with Jackson, opponents are shooting 69-of-172 (40.1 percent). Among guards across the NBA to defend at least 100 shot attempts this season, those percentages rank sixth and tied for ninth, respectively. These two are clearly making a difference on the defensive side of the ball.
Yet, when they are on offense, it's another story entirely. The veteran Delon Wright is currently having the least-productive year of his career by averaging 2.6 points while shooting 29.5 percent from the floor and 25.7 percent from deep. Meanwhile, Andre Jackson Jr. is at 3.6 points while knocking down 38.7 percent of his field goals and 34.7 percent of his triples.
Again, the defense is tremendous, but it's tough to rely on them offensively, which can cause issues. In the NBA Cup title game against the OKC Thunder, Jackson was consistently left open because the opposition was willing to dare him to shoot. He went just 1-of-6, including 0-of-4 from 3-point range. In a potential playoff scenario, numbers like that simply will not cut it.
The offensive struggles feel like a prominent reason why Doc Rivers has relied heavily on AJ Green at times over Jackson. Green doesn't pack the same defensive punch as Jackson, but he is solid in that regard, and he also shoots 45.9 percent from distance. The sharpshooter making an impact on both sides of the floor makes it easier to have him playing.
The good thing is that neither player will ever need to do much on offense outside of knocking down their open triples. They've been hot and cold in that regard this season, but as NBA players, those are the shots they desire. As Milwaukee's old friend and current coach of the Phoenix Suns used to say, "Let it fly." These two need to stay confident and keep shooting the long ball.
Jackson, in particular, would benefit from strengthening his perimeter jumper. In his second season, he's already one of the NBA's most electric defenders, and if he can add a jump shot on top of that, there's no predicting the heights he can reach. He's also Milwaukee's starting two-guard, so he will keep getting great looks courtesy of the gravity of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard.
The Milwaukee Bucks need Andre Jackson Jr. on the floor for his defense and the ability to defend the other team's top guard or wing. He will continue to play a crucial role, but the next step for him is making defenses pay by leaving him open offensively. If Delon Wright wants to sneak back into the rotation, he's also got to start seeing the ball go through the net more and more.
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