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Milwaukee Bucks: 5 reasons they will make the playoffs in 2017-18

By Josh Cornelissen

CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 6: John Henson #31 and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks with their teammates stand for the National Anthem before the preseason game against the Chicago Bulls on October 6, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
CHICAGO, IL - OCTOBER 6: John Henson #31 and Giannis Antetokounmpo #34 of the Milwaukee Bucks with their teammates stand for the National Anthem before the preseason game against the Chicago Bulls on October 6, 2017 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images
Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images /

4. They have a team identity

Some of the best teams in the NBA play game to game without a coherent team identity. The Cleveland Cavaliers are one such team, with isolation basketball fighting a war with smooth, free-flowing offense that has shooters bombing away from 3-point range.

The very best, the teams that win title after title, are the ones that have tapped into an identity. Sometimes that identity is crafted by the coach — for example, the Houston Rockets — and other times by a star player. In Milwaukee, head coach Jason Kidd and his coaching staff have instilled an aggressive, fast-paced defensive approach and crafted a team to match.

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From Malcolm Brogdon and Matthew Dellavedova at the point, to Tony Snell and Khris Middleton on the wing, to Giannis Antetokounmpo and Thon Maker in the frontcourt this team is built to harry offenses, clog passing lanes, and switch across all positions. Even the team’s rookies, D.J. Wilson and Sterling Brown, fit the mold.

There are reasons to be concerned about the defensive scheme, especially as it allows teams a higher percentage of open 3-pointers. But the coaching staff sees these concerns as well, and will be working towards an iteration of the swarming defense that maximizes its strengths and minimizes the weaknesses.

For too many teams across the league, an identity is a struggle. For Milwaukee, it’s a reality of being on the team. With a roster crafted to fit the scheme, the Bucks have a defensive floor that will help propel them into the postseason — and a defensive ceiling that could place them among the league’s elites.

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