Dairy Bird is slowly becoming a household nickname across the NBA following the Milwaukee Bucks' NBA Cup victory over the Orlando Magic to punch their ticket to Las Vegas. AJ Green has been lighting it up from deep this season, and head coach Doc Rivers' belief in the youngster is now putting him on the radar of all opponents.
It wasn't the smoothest of wins by the Bucks, but Damian Lillard and Giannis Antetokounmpo showed their talent, while Green displayed exactly why he's a key component of the Bucks' recent run of good performances. The guard is currently fifth in the NBA in 3-point percentage at 47.5, with teammate Taurean Prince currently leading the way.
Offensively, he has become a brilliant weapon, but defensively, he has taken strides this season to being so combative and showing his athleticism and energy to keep up with even the best of opponents. Green is holding opponents to 46.4 percent shooting this season, and even just from watching his performances, that has clearly been an area he worked on over the offseason. It felt like he had to tap in defensively to really find his way into the rotation, and he's done just that.
Everyone across the NBA is starting to know the name AJ Green
It feels like just yesterday when Green signed a two-way deal with the Bucks and showed glimpses in his 35 games of the 2022-23 season of being a real threat from deep as he shot 41.9 percent from 3-point range. Fast forward to now and how he is sometimes the first player off the bench for the Milwaukee Bucks as he continues to aid the youth movement and become a vital piece of the roster.
That's enough of me talking like a proud father, but since being a DNP against the Cleveland Cavaliers on November 2, Green has gone on to average 9.3 points, 2.7 rebounds and one assist on splits of .479/.477/.750 in 25 minutes per game. Last season, he only played over 25 minutes once, over 20 minutes six times, so Rivers clearly sees the work he has put in and the impact he can now have on a game. There are sequences where Green takes over, just hitting shot after shot.
The Bucks have been seeking players to complement Giannis Antetokounmpo for a number of years, with Malik Beasley, Grayson Allen, Bryn Forbes and Kyle Korver just some of the names brought in to be that 3-point specialist. Green, it can be argued, has been a better fit alongside Giannis, especially with how he has improved defensively. With opposing defenses constantly worried about the Greek Freak as he drives to the lane or Damian Lillard's sheer ability to score from anywhere, this creates opportunities for Green, and he is not afraid to take them nor create for himself if needed.
AJ Green has become an integral part of this Bucks team, and Rivers knows it; he clearly believes in him. There is more to come from him, and the NBA is beginning to see the threat he is, which is nothing but a positive for Milwaukee.
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