Can the Milwaukee Bucks find their identity in time for the NBA Playoffs?

Which version of the Bucks will show up in the postseason?

Jonas Panerio | Mar 19, 2024

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Milwaukee Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks have shown here and there how good they really are. Their recent 140-129 win over the Phoenix Suns, which they did without Giannis Antetokounmpo, was an example of how lethal they can be when everything is clicking. However, consistency has been a major issue for this team, and the lack of it may come back to bite them as the regular season winds down and the NBA Playoffs kick-off.

Addition by subtraction

The Bucks’ defense was an utter mess under previous head coach Adrian Griffin. However, it has considerably improved ever since Doc Rivers took over. But it has come with a compromise—in ensuring the opponent scores as few fastbreak points as possible, the Bucks have barely even tried going for offensive rebounds, denying them a shot at putting second-chance points on the board.

“Adrian Griffin emphasized offensive rebounding over transition defense. Doc Rivers has historically gone as far in the opposite direction as possible. Since his arrival, the Bucks rank 29th in offensive rebounding rate and fourth in fewest fast-break points allowed. The result has predictably been a better defense and a worse offense,” Sam Quinn of CBS Sports wrote.

Highlights from yesterday's WIN over the Suns.

⚡️: @we_energies pic.twitter.com/tVyWpSQn5A
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) March 18, 2024

Which end of the floor will the Bucks excel at?

Scoring is at a premium in the NBA Playoffs, and the Milwaukee Bucks know that they can't rely solely on their defense to carry them to a championship. This is partly why the Bucks greenlit the trade that brought Damian Lillard to Milwaukee—to give the Bucks’ offense some added punch in late-game situations.

“This plan only works if Milwaukee reaches the elite half-court offensive ceiling the Damian Lillard trade gave it. We're seeing it for stretches. Rivers is forcing the issue on the Lillard-Giannis Antetokounmpo pick-and-roll to largely positive results,” Quinn added.

“There hasn't been a single sustained stretch this season in which the Bucks actually looked like the No. 2 team in the Eastern Conference we expected them to be. It's coming in bits and pieces. That's fine in December. It's rare that teams find themselves this late in the season. We're in now-or-never territory with the Bucks right now.”