Toronto Raptors: It’s time to worry about the Milwaukee Bucks
The Toronto Raptors are the class of the Eastern Conference. However, with an MVP candidate and a new coach, it’s time to worry about the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Milwaukee Bucks finished last season 44-38, with a negative point differential, and as the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference. This season, they’re poised to be one of the Toronto Raptors biggest challengers in the Eastern Conference.
Milwaukee has been exceptional on both sides of the ball this season. They rank ninth in offense, second in defense, and first in the NBA in net rating. They are one of only three teams in the NBA with a top-10 offense and defense this season. The other two are the Golden State Warriors, and of course, your Toronto Raptors.
Top-end Talent
For Milwaukee, it all starts and ends with Giannis Antetokounmpo. Giannis is an elite two-way superstar and the only real competitor to Kawhi Leonard as the best player in the East.
So far this season, Giannis is averaging 25.8 points, 6.6 assists, and 15.6 rebounds per game. His efficiency has taken a dip five games in, but with a true-shooting percentage of nearly 60-percent the past two years, it’s only a matter of time till that rockets back up.
Giannis is a 6’11” alien with other-worldly length and athleticism. He’s too fast for almost anyone, let alone the typical power forward. If you attempt to mismatch a smaller defender onto him, he can bully you into the paint with strength and size.
Antetokounmpo’s second-banana, Khris Middleton, is perhaps one of the most overlooked players in the NBA.
He’s currently averaging 22 points with a true-shooting percentage greater than 70-percent. He’s shooting 7.6 threes per game and making an absurd 58-percent of those shots. That’s not sustainable, but Middleton has proven to be a top-end marksman throughout his career.
Milwaukee has some solid role pieces to support both Antetokounmpo and Middleton. Eric Bledsoe is around a league-average point guard, Malcolm Brogdon has averaged double-digits since the moment he came into the league, and Brook Lopez is a former all-star who is much younger than the way he is discussed (He’s only 30).
What’s changed
Yes, Giannis and company are great, but this roster is largely the same as last year. So what’s changed? Mike Budenholzer.
The Bucks were the worst coached team in basketball last year. Coach Jason Kidd and his predecessor Joe Prunty ran a cartoonish defensive scheme which fell apart at the slightest miscommunication.
Last season the Bucks relied heavily on blitzing the pick-and-roll.
Very few times do you need to blitz the pick-and-roll in the NBA. Never do you need to blitz the pick-and-roll when Kris Dunn is handling the ball. The over-aggressive scheme cost Milwaukee three-points on this possession. It was far from the only miscue.
This year, the team is dropping back into a traditional coverage. Playing a more conservative defensive scheme allows Milwaukee to use their length to their advantage.
The scheme change is paying major dividends for the Bucks. Last season, despite solid personnel, they ranked below league-average in defense. This year, they trail only the Boston Celtics.
Offensively, Budenholzer made a straightforward but effective change. Provide Giannis with more space to work.
Last season, the Bucks regularly crowded the paint, allowing their defenders to trap and swarm the ball-handler.
With more shooting and a new emphasis on spacing, the Bucks offense looks totally revamped.
Milwaukee finished with a top-ten offense in the NBA last year, so there wasn’t as much room to grow. However, so far this season, the Bucks are averaging an extra five points per 100 possessions.
It’s early, and league-wide scoring is up, but with a new revamped offense, there’s no reason to expect the Bucks offense to regress.
How they matchup with Toronto
Kawhi Leonard is perhaps the best player in the NBA equipped to guard Antetokounmpo. He’ll be able to slow him down to an extent, but at some level, Giannis is going to get his.
That’s okay. Kawhi will get his too. Toronto doesn’t need to win this matchup; they just need to hold even. The Raptors have other areas they can attack.
Toronto has talent and depth throughout their roster. Milwaukee, on the other hand, is extremely top-heavy.
The Bucks fourth best player is Malcolm Brogdon. He’d be the Raptors fourth best point guard.
Toronto will look to attack players 4-10 early and often against Milwaukee. They will include Brook Lopez in defensive actions as much as possible and expect to win bench minutes by a significant margin.
Despite their improvements, Milwaukee is far from a complete team. You just need to know where to attack them.
Creating the Raptors All-Time Roster. dark. Next
It’s too early to put Milwaukee on the same tier as the Boston Celtics or Toronto Raptors. However, what was once a sleeping giant, is now awake, and it’s time to take notice of the Bucks.