Things the Milwaukee Bucks are grateful for this season

From Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard, find out what the Milwaukee Bucks are thankful for this season.

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The Milwaukee Bucks have a lot to be thankful for this season. While having seven-time All-Star guard Damian Lillard is one of them, here are a couple of things the Bucks have to be grateful for this Thanksgiving.

An adaptable coach

Transitioning to a new head coach is almost always tricky, but the Bucks have been able to do it seamlessly. First-time head coach Adrian Griffin has had to juggle a lot of different pieces this season, and he’s done an admirable job of leading the team to a 10-5 record so far.

However, one of his most significant moments so far has been the ability to adjust the team’s style of play on the fly. The Bucks began the season not having renowned rim-protector Brook Lopez in drop coverage, and the results were disappointing, as they went 2-2 and even gave up a whopping 130 points to the Toronto Raptors in a 130-111 loss.

“Then, during a Nov. 3 victory over the New York Knicks, Griffin told ESPN that the players asked to move Lopez back into drop as a base coverage. He obliged,” Bleacher Report’s Dan Favale reported.

“The Bucks are forfeiting more looks at the rim (30.6 percent of opponent field-goal attempts) but are now fourth in shooting accuracy allowed (60.7 percent). Their half-court defense has recovered to a good-not-great-but-much-better 14th.”

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s consistency

The Bucks have had to go through plenty of growing pains this season. The team has been resilient, whether it’s the adjustment of Griffin’s coaching principles or Damian Lillard’s playing style to the significant injury suffered by forward Jae Crowder.

However, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s consistency has been one of the main reasons why the Bucks have remained near the top of the Eastern Conference. The Greek Freak is averaging 29.6 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game while shooting 60 percent from the field.

This kind of production has been a godsend for the Bucks as it has allowed Lillard to work through his shooting slump (Dame is shooting 40% from the field and 32% from three) without putting too much pressure on his shoulders.

Slow starts are a puzzle that the Milwaukee Bucks cannot solve yet