What the Milwaukee Bucks learned from the 2017 NBA Finals
Need for two-way players
The Golden State Warriors rose from historically-great to an even higher level when they signed Kevin Durant last summer, in part because they simply added another superstar talent. But another reason is that the Warriors eliminated one-way players from their closing lineup.
In the 2016 NBA Finals, the Cleveland Cavaliers effectively ignored Harrison Barnes on the outside, and he shot 5-for-32 during the Cavaliers’ three-game win streak to win the title. Barnes was not able to make the opponent pay for slighting him, rendering his defensive contributions close to irrelevant.
This season, the Warriors brought no such players to the table, as their “Hamptons Five” best lineup featured a quintet of two-way players. With Stephen Curry fully healthy there were no defensive weaknesses, and with Durant taking Barnes’ spot there were no offensive weaknesses. The Cavaliers could not keep up.
On their own end, Cleveland struggled to excise one-way players from its rotation but simply didn’t have enough bodies. Kevin Love was crucial on the glass and in spacing the floor, but he’s a defensive liability. Tristan Thompson was schemed out of an offensive impact. Iman Shumpert and Deron Williams were liabilities that Cleveland had to give minutes to.
The Milwaukee Bucks have prized defensive versatility, but they have to shore up their rotation with plus defenders who can also provide offensive value. A lack of scoring punch has meant the team leans on Greg Monroe to generate offense, a minus defender who gets attacked in the pick-and-roll.
For the Bucks to prepare for future postseasons where lofty goals are in reach, they need to continue building a rotation of two-way players. Giannis Antetokounmpo is one of the league’s best two-way stars, and Khris MIddleton fits that bill perfectly. Thon Maker at worst is a defensive plus without killing the offense; at best he’s the perfect center for this concept.
As the Bucks approach free agency, they must incorporate all that they have learned. The game is changing, and those who wish to compete have to keep up. Filling a roster with versatile players who can affect the game at both ends is key, and finding core pieces who will not be played off the court.
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If Milwaukee can increase its spacing while not sacrificing defensive versatility, they will build the kind of roster that excels in the postseason. With a two-way star in Giannis Antetokounmpo who fits perfectly the archetypes displayed in the NBA Finals, the Bucks have already taken one huge step in the right direction.