Milwaukee Bucks Playoff Preview: 3 Key Position Matchups
By Peter Myhrer
The Bucks Frontcourt vs. Pau Gasol
Pau Gasol is 34 years old and in his 14th NBA season, but the Bucks know better than anyone that his age is no indicator of his ability.
Gasol scored a career high 46 points and pulled in 18 rebounds against the Bucks on Jan. 10. Here’s every point from that historic performance.
He scored in the post, from midrange, and from the line, screaming bloody murder every time someone laid a hand on him. The Bucks tried defending him with the strength of Zaza Pachulia and with the length of John Henson, but neither could stop him from putting the ball in the hoop.
It’s almost a guarantee that Gasol is going to have a game in the series similar to this one and Coach Jason Kidd is going to find himself gazing desperately down his bench for a solution. It’s at that moment that his eyes will meet with the brown eyes (yes, I looked it up) of Miles Plumlee.
More from Milwaukee Bucks
- NBA Rumors: 3 teams emerge as most-likely Giannis destinations
- 7 players the Milwaukee Bucks gave up on far too soon
- Report: Bucks, 76ers, and Suns all vying to land this championship coach
- 5 potential candidates for Bucks’ head coach
- NBA Rumors: Milwaukee may overhaul roster after early playoff exit
Plumlee is as close of a blend of Pachulia and Henson on defense as Kidd has at his disposal. Despite this, Plumlee has yet to consistently crack Kidd’s rotation. Kidd’s lack of trust in him can probably be attributed to his defensive positioning. He’s not always in the right spot and Kidd puts a lot of value on players fully understanding his system.
Even if Plumlee sees some extended burn, the Bucks will defend Gasol as a team.
The key will be to keep Gasol off the free throw line. The best way to do this is to keep him out of the paint and off the block. He has a beautiful midrange shot but it’s still the better option.
This means not falling for his pump fake, fronting him on the block with help on the backside, and well-timed double teams if he does get the ball in the post.
Ersan Ilyasova might also see some time on Gasol, especially if the Bulls put him and Joakim Noah on the court at the same time.
Next: The NBA's Most Improved Player