After a 134-111 victory over the defending champions, the Milwaukee Bucks sit at 9-2 in the Eastern Conference. While it has been only 11 games on this young season, the Bucks have shown significant improvement under new head coach Mike Budenholzer. A team not known for its three-point shooting in years past find themselves leading the league in threes made per game at 15. Combine that with extraordinary length and athleticism. The Bucks may have something to say at the end of the year when it comes to who will be representing the East in the NBA finals.
Milwaukee Bucks Placing Themselves Among The Eastern Conference Elite
The Three Ball
Most people don’t remember that Coach Budenholzer led the Atlanta Hawks to a 60-22 record in 2014-2015. During that time Atlanta was a top five three-point shooting team as well. Coach Budenholzer has perfectly schemed the Bucks to be an elite three-point shooting team. Adding veteran big man Brook Lopez to the starting lineup has given them a big who can stretch the floor. Back to the basket player John Henson has even started shooting threes this season along with the rest of the team, who is shooting 37 percent on the season. Many people feel that Budenholzer was the missing link for a Bucks team filled with talent. As the season progresses we will see if this team can continue to hit from distance at a high rate.
Offense and Defense
The Bucks have also improved their defense this year, utilizing their length and height found throughout the roster. The team is currently ranked third in defensive efficiency in the league, hounding opponents on the perimeter with Eric Bledsoe and Khris Middleton. The Bucks have also been holding teams to 107.6 points a game, which is top ten in the league. To go along with that defense is a potent offense. The Bucks are one of the more balanced teams in the league. They currently have five players averaging double figures in points. The Bucks are currently second in the league in points, averaging 121.3 per game. With this amount of talent on a team that has shooters, defenders and length, the sky is the limit in terms oreachingng the NBA Finals.
The Star
That offense is led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, who is off to the MVP races looking to have another great year. He is averaging 25.6 PPG, 12.9 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.0 SPG and 1.30 BPG. As the leader of this team, Antetokounmpo has always done it all for his team on both ends of the floor. He has significantly improved every year since coming to the NBA. Each year Antetokounmpo adds another weapon to his arsenal that makes him even more deadly on offense. With what seems to be the right coach so far and a deep talented roster, Antetokounmpo and the Bucks are definitely a team to keep your eye on this season.
Main Photo
CHICAGO, USA – OCTOBER 6: Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) of Milwaukee Bucks during the preseason NBA game between Chicago Bulls and Milwaukee Bucks, in Chicago, United States, on October 6, 2017.
(Photo by Bilgin S. Sasmaz/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images)
