3 Reasons to Worry About the Bucks

The Milwaukee Bucks couldn’t have asked for a worse start to the season. (Well, they might have if they had gone 0-4, but 1-3 isn’t much better.) Not only did they lose three straight games, they looked disorganized while doing so; They were far from the total overwhelming power they had hoped for. to be.

The season started with a glimmer of hope: a win against a depleted Philadelphia 76ers roster. But the optimism quickly evaporated as the team suffered a double-digit defeat at home against the Bulls, a defeat against the Nets, and a defeat in Boston. So much for erasing the bitter memories of last season.

There are only four games left, but Bucks fans have three reasons to be worried after the first week.

1. A Neutral Attack

Doc Rivers had the entire offseason to bring his vision to life, something he wasn’t able to do after taking over midseason last year. He promised a full training camp and preseason of an offense that is more in tune with ball and player movement. What have we seen so far? Not really.

The Bucks are still running on “hero ball” smoke. More often than not, the offense is handed over to Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard, or even Bobby Portis, forcing the issue while everyone else is standing around like they’re waiting for a bus. The result is an offense that ranks 23rd in passes made per game and 22nd in assists.

It’s not just the ball that’s stagnant, so are the players. The Bucks rank 27th in the NBA in off-ball movement (measured in offensive kilometers), making them about as mobile as a row of parked cars.

Rivers envisioned a system filled with backdoor cuts, dribbles and screens away from the ball. Instead, we play isolation basketball, where players stick to the three-point line.

After four games, Milwaukee sits 16th in offensive rankings despite playing some of the league’s weaker defense. This isn’t a new problem for the Bucks; a familiar flaw that has plagued them for the second year in a row. Rivers may have inherited it, but so far he hasn’t found a way to fire it.

2. Defense Extreme Helper Chaos

The offense was very bad but the defense was a complete disaster. According to Cleaning the Glass, Milwaukee currently ranks 29th in defensive rankings.

And it’s not like they’re facing aggressive forces. Chicago, Brooklyn and a handful of Philly teams aren’t exactly setting the world on fire. But all three had no trouble getting what they wanted against Milwaukee. A hot shot? Certainly. But this shooting took place after the open stare of many.

Milwaukee’s obsession with protecting the paint is well known. Opposing coaches know this too. Your neighbor knows this. Your mother probably knows. The Bucks did a good job limiting shots at the basket; They allowed the second-fewest shots in the league.

But this trade-off was brutal. Their efforts to protect the rim lead to over-assisting, and Brook Lopez abandons shooters at the slightest hint of danger. This is defensive anarchy. Milwaukee’s defenders struggle to get into the rotation — often too late — and give up wide-open threes as if in space.

The Bucks have allowed 47, 45 and 47 three-point attempts in their last three games. Worse still, opponents shoot 39.6 percent of them. Overall, they gave up the seventh-most and most open three-pointers in the NBA.

The Bucks dream of a top-10 defense, but unless they tighten the screws on when and where to help, that will remain just a dream.

3. A Team Without Chemistry

At its core, Milwaukee’s biggest problem is that they don’t look like a team; that they appear to be a collection of individuals.

On offense, Giannis forces it into traffic, Dame gets isolated and Portis looks for his own shots in the post. Everyone seems more focused on their own stats than making each other better.

And it’s not just crime. Selfishness is also reflected in defense. There is little trust or communication; just five people trying to do too much on their own. It is clear that they do not yet believe in the idea of ​​sacrificing individual achievements for the sake of the greater good.

This type of disconnect can be fixed, but it takes time, effort, and most importantly, everyone’s participation. Until we figure this out, they will continue to look like five talented strangers sharing a gym rather than a team working together for a common goal.

Final Thoughts: It’s Early, But…

Look, it’s only the first week of the season. There’s plenty of time to right the ship, and the ceiling is still very high with Antetokounmpo and Lillard. But the first signs are not encouraging. The offense is stagnant, the defense is chaotic and there is no chemistry.

If Rivers and the Bucks don’t address these issues soon, this slow start could snowball into something more serious. The season is long but urgency is needed if they are to avoid the kind of disappointing campaign they are desperately trying to forget.