What the Bucks need to do to win this series
One of the biggest strengths of the Milwaukee Bucks both during the regular season and in their series against the Heat was their three-point shooting, During the regular season, Milaukee shot 38.9% from three-point range, 5th best in the NBA, and with them having the ability to knock down perimeter shots in unison, this is going to be huge for them in this series against the Nets.
Brooklyn is arguably the best offensive team in the NBA and as a result, the Bucks are going to have to hit big shots of their own from the perimeter. Not only will Khris Middleton and Jrue Holiday have to knock down shots, but guys like Bryn Forbes, Pat Connaughton and even Bobby Portis will have to knock down big shots in this series.
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Defensively, the Bucks were really strong against the Heat, only allowing 98.0 PPG on average to Miami, but they are going to be facing a whole different animal in the Brooklyn Nets. Miami did not really have any top-tier weapons on offense like the Nets have, which is why Jrue Holiday is going to have to be the difference-maker for the Bucks in this series.
Whether it is guarding Kyrie Irving or James Harden, he is going to have to force them to give the ball up and make the Nets’ “Big 3” and “Big 2.” If the Nets are getting 90+ points per game from KD, Irving and Harden, then Brooklyn should be able to win this series pretty easily.
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But, if Holiday can force Broolyn out of their usual play style on the perimeter, then Giannis Antetokounmpo can hopefully control the paint for them defensively, shifting this series in favor of the Bucks. Until we see Game 1, it is hard to say how exactly the Bucks will and should guard the Nets, but they are definitely going to have their hands full.
Converting defense to offense in this series is going to be huge for Milwaukee and they are going to have to convert off of Brooklyn’s turnovers because they hardly make mistakes on offense.
