In their final game of what has been an eventful 2024, the Milwaukee Bucks hit the road to take on the Indiana Pacers, a team they've gotten to know quite well in that span.
For the very first time this season, the Bucks were able to deploy the starting lineup of Damian Lillard, Andre Jackson Jr., Khris Middleton, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez. Injuries and illnesses have prevented them from rolling out this group, but now, with everyone healthy, it would be crucial to monitor their performance.
Early on, there wasn't much success for this group (or the Milwaukee Bucks in general).
Indiana dominated in just about every facet early, which continued throughout the second and third quarters. However, led by yet another MVP performance from Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee showed their grit and stormed back from a 19-point hole to end 2024 with a win, securing a 120-112 victory to end a recent losing skid.
Yet, while this is certainly a feel-good win, one problem still hangs over this team like a black cloud.
The Milwaukee Bucks' transition defense is still a prominent issue
Part of the reason the Milwaukee Bucks fell into such a deep hole was due to their transition defense, or lack thereof. Time and time again, the Pacers got open looks at the hoop because they were given little to no resistance. They scored 22 points on fast breaks, many of which were easy makes for Indy.
This isn't a new problem for the Milwaukee Bucks.
All season long, teams have oftentimes waltzed to the rim in transition due to Milwaukee's inability to get back and contest. As one of the oldest teams in the NBA, this group certainly isn't the spriest unit, even when they do utilize some of their promising young players.
With Andre Jackson Jr. - one of the prominent energizers - logging less than 12 minutes, the Bucks were constantly getting beat on the break. Jackson doesn't solve this issue entirely, but he is among the more active players when it comes to picking up players on the break. Yet, with him picking up a few early fouls and several other wings playing well, it was understandable to lower his minutes.
The Milwaukee Bucks will oftentimes run into this problem when using lineups with both Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis. Both are tall, non-athletic centers who certainly are not as fast as they once were, and the Pacers took advantage of that. It's something Doc Rivers must manage as he crafts his lineups throughout the season.
While they can win games despite this issue, it is something that could come back to haunt them at a later date if they do not correct it.
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