Milwaukee Bucks’ veterans are finding their place on team
The Milwaukee Bucks made a number of veteran additions this summer, some of which are still trying to figure out their role on the team.
After a somewhat rocky 2-2 start, the Milwaukee Bucks have quickly righted the ship. They’ve won four straight games and are in the middle of a four-game road trip, as they get set to take on the Utah Jazz on Friday night. With the team as a whole clicking, some of their key veteran additions are just now settling into their new roles with this juggernaut.
As everyone and their mom knows by now, Malcolm Brogdon was traded to the Indiana Pacers in a sign-and-trade. In his steed, Milwaukee brought in Wesley Matthews and Kyle Korver. They also signed Brook Lopez’ uglier twin brother Robin Lopez to fill the gap at backup center.
Kyle Korver has been an inferno from downtown. He’s shooting a Korver-esque 48.6 percent from downtown this season. His lone job on this team is to create spacing for Giannis Antetokounmpo and chuck from downtown when given the opportunity. And he’s doing just that. Korver’s 10.9 three-point attempts per 36 minutes is a career-high for the three-point specialist. As is his 5.3 makes according to basketball-reference.
Wesley Matthews has been a different story.
The Marquette product is also having a career-year from behind the arc. Just not in a way the Bucks would’ve hoped. He came into the year with a 38.1 percent career-average from downtown. Unfortunately, he’s only making 30.6 percent of his threes according to basketball-reference.
That number will likely come up, as Matthews wasn’t Mon-Starred over night and had his shooting powers taken from him. Everyone goes through slumps and Matthews is likely just coming to begin the season. Don’t be surprise to see Mike Budenholzer stick with him, as he fights through his struggles.
Still, it would be a lie to say he hasn’t been a disappointment during his short tenure with the Bucks. Milwaukee brought him in to provide spacing for Antetokounmpo and Eric Bledsoe and he hasn’t done that quite yet. Although Matthews tries hard on defense, he’s a shell of his former self and really needs to find his outside stroke to make his true impact felt.
Robin Lopez is a harder player to measure than Matthews. Yes, he’s expected to shoot threes in his new role, but it would be unfair and unwise to judge him based on his 18.8 percent outside stroke.
Defense is where it’s at for Lopez. He was brought in to be Brook’s replacement and ensure Milwaukee could trot out an elite defensive center for 48 minutes if they so choose. and so far so good. Milwaukee only allows 100 points per 100 possessions with Lopez on the court, a number that ranks in the 85th percentile according to Cleaning the Glass.
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His minutes are down this season and the individual numbers don’t look great. However, the team results have been phenomenal. He’ll continue to settle into his new role and hope to keep the success going. As it is for all these vets, they’re just trying to assimilate to their new team without messing things up from a year ago.