Last season was a disaster for the Milwaukee Bucks when it came to defense. With the fresh season approaching, the Giannis Antetokounmpo-led team must find a way to regain their former form on the court.
The Bucks are at a crucial moment as they look to restore their defensive dominance ahead of the 2024-25 NBA season. After consistently ranking among the league’s best defenses during Mike Budenholzer’s tenure, the team fell to 19th in defensive rating last season. The arrival of head coach Doc Rivers has brought some improvement, but the Bucks still need to address key issues to compete for a championship.
At the heart of that challenge is the duo of Antetokounmpo and massive man Brook Lopez. While Lopez remains an effective rim defender, leading the league in several defensive metrics, his age 36 raises concerns about his long-term durability. Antetokounmpo continues to excel as a defensive force, but the Bucks suffered from a lack of elite perimeter defenders last season, especially after the loss of Jrue Holiday.
To regain their defensive prowess, the Bucks must consider strategic changes, including potentially adding a robust defensive player to complement their high-scoring lineup. The focus will be on improving transition defense and increasing ball pressure, areas that significantly hindered their performance last season.
Milwaukee Bucks defense gets called out in latest NBA analysis
For the Bucks to win another ring, they need to find their identity on the defensive end of the court. In analysis Dan Favale for Bleacher ReportMilwaukee needs to fill some holes in their lineup to improve their defensive play.
“Milwaukee’s most likely lineup — likely Antetokounmpo, Lopez, Trent, Damian Lillard and Khris Middleton —It’ll be all right. Still, the rotation could benefit from a two-way winger, especially if you’re worried about Lopez losing his chance to be your anchor at age 36 or you’re concerned about Khris Middleton’s durability and declining mobility.
“Two-way wingers are a big need. Virtually every team could use more of them. For the Bucks, it’s not so much a case of missing a star they can’t get, but a potential need for someone with more positional flexibility who could help carry the defense in the secondary,” Favale wrote.
Last season, the Bucks finished their series with a victory 19. defense out of 30 teams in the league. If they want to win another championship, Rivers needs to find a way to kick it up a few notches.
As the Bucks prepare for the upcoming season, building a top-10 defense will be key to their title aspirations. With the right adjustments and a commitment to defensive excellence, they could once again become a formidable force in the league.
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