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(Photo by Karim SAHIB/AFP) (Photo by KARIM SAHIB/AFP via Getty Images)
Milwaukee Bucks kick off their preseason Abu Dhabi With a new starting lineup we’ve never seen before. It’s especially interesting given that forward Khris Middleton could miss the start of the regular season without a clear starting five. The Bucks formed a starting five in the backcourt with Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen along with Giannis Antetokounmpo, Bobby Portis and Brook Lopez.The lineup by technical characteristics Giannis Antetokounmpoa 6’11 freight train at small forward.
It’s definitely one of the more interesting lineups head coach Mike Budenholzer has fielded for Milwaukee, but it’s probably not the best of them all. There are pros and cons to having that much size in your roster, but in this case, the cons outweigh the pros.
Pros of the Milwaukee Bucks’ big man lineup
I’ll cut to the chase here. After looking at this lineup and analysing what it can bring, it doesn’t have much merit. Playing Giannis at small forward gives him more ball-handling and playmaking opportunities, but it’s not much different than what we’ve seen with Giannis at power forward. On offense, players who play with Giannis Antetokounmpo are either running pick-and-rolls with him or waiting on the 3-point line to get ready to shoot. Having an extra big man instead of Pat Connaughton doesn’t change the offense’s potential.Bobby Portis He shot 39.3 percent from 3-point range last seasonPat Connaughton He’s shooting 39.5 percent from 3-point range.
A pro is the fact that having the size and height of Lopez, Giannis and Portis can really mess things up for opposing teams trying to score in the paint. Another thing that won’t lose much on offense is spacing. Spacing is key to Milwaukee’s offense, and being in the right spot is essential because Giannis can draw defenders on the drive. All in all, the Milwaukee Bucks want to have some other thoughts on Milwaukee’s starting five on opening night in Philadelphia.One such possibility is to insert Jordan Nvora Who made the start when others were injured, Nwora 13 starts last season.
The downsides of the Milwaukee Bucks’ big man lineup
On the one hand, Bobby Portis, along with Brook Lopez, could undercut the Bucks’ perimeter defense with a plethora of turnovers. In addition, many teams are moving to the small ball, and such a lineup will create a lot of matchup problems. It’s likely just an experimental lineup, and we’ll likely see some other odd combination of players in Abu Dhabi and the rest of the preseason.
The biggest failure of the big three lineup is perimeter defense. It would be one thing if Portis or Lopez had a little bit of mobility to guard the perimeter, and they definitely don’t, that’s pretty obvious. That’s absolutely fine though, because that’s not one of those guys’ roles on defense, and having them guard the perimeter would be borderline insane. There are reports of a new defense emerging in Milwaukee, but the team will immediately see the Bucks’ lineup and divide it in a number of ways.
Having more convertible or versatile defenders on the floor is a huge advantage in the modern NBA because of the importance of the 3-point shot, and this thought process is likely the driver of interest for the Milwaukee Bucks Jack Crowder. It’s good to try and have ideas, but this lineup isn’t the best idea. Replacing Lopez with a winger like Connaughton in this lineup could make a big difference, in my opinion.
In my opinion, you can’t have Lopez and Portis together, so I’ll eventually move Lopez to the bench, which helps him a lot. What Brook brings to the table could be very valuable in a backup role, and he seems to be missing a step after surgery. Whether it’s Bobby or Brook coming off the bench, either way, they’re likely to get fairly similar minutes.
Jrue Holiday and Grayson Allen’s backcourt is the way to go, I don’t see anyone else worth starting with Allen, but I’d love to see Connaughton trade Lopez in the lineup until Chris Middleton 100% ready to get back to his place in the starting lineup. Connaughton isn’t a great defender by any means, but this transition would give Milwaukee more flexibility on both ends of the floor.
The Milwaukee Bucks play one more game in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, so stay tuned for an analysis of their game in the United Arab Emirates.
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