Milwaukee Bucks: 5 Takeaways From First Week of NBA Season

Rim Protection

In previous seasons, the Bucks took pride in their stout rim defense. Anchored by the imposing presence of Brook Lopez and Antetokounmpo, they effectively shut down any attempts around the basket, compelling opponents to seek alternative scoring avenues. Regrettably, this has not been the case in the current season.

While Milwaukee still excels in deterring shots at the rim, opponents have been alarmingly successful in their conversion rates when they do manage to get inside. In the 2022-23 season, the Bucks held their adversaries to under 65 percent shooting within four feet of the hoop. Fast forward to the present, and this number has skyrocketed to an astonishing 80.9 percent after just one week, placing them at the bottom of the NBA rankings, according to Cleaning the Glass.

The notable shift in Milwaukee’s perimeter defense can be attributed to the departure of Jrue Holiday and the arrival of Lillard. The team’s point-of-attack defense seems to funnel ball-handlers into the paint with minimal resistance, placing big men like Lopez in unenviable two-on-one predicaments. They are caught between a rock and a hard place: either contest the unguarded player driving to the rim, or stick with their own man. This has led to easy baskets for the opponent.

Given the Bucks’ lack of elite perimeter defenders, it might be prudent to dial back on their defensive pressure a notch. Coach Griffin’s desire to have his players apply relentless pressure is commendable, but the personnel currently at his disposal struggles to stay in front of their assignments. How the team adjusts moving forward remains to be seen, but the initial results have certainly left room for improvement.