Milwaukee Bucks: Recommending a playoff rotation to Joe Prunty

Small Forward

• Khris Middleton: 38 minutes
• Giannis Antetokounmpo: 10 minutes

This spot in the rotation should be the easiest to lay out. When Tony Snell, Sterling Brown or any player other than Middleton or Antetokounmpo play the 3, the Bucks are outscored by their opponents — often substantially. The rotation comes down to those two players.

Middleton is also a poor choice at the 4, where he was forced to play for stretches this season due to injuries to Jabari Parker and Mirza Teletovic, and the lack of development from D.J. Wilson. Milwaukee posted a -9.5 net rating when Middleton played the 4, per Cleaning the Glass, and his inability to slide down killed any Giannis-at-the-5 lineups the coaches tried.

Therefore all of Middleton’s allotted minutes will be given to him at the 3. The remaining 10 will be soaked up by Antetokounmpo, who will play the 3 alongside Jabari Parker in larger wing lineups. Antetokounmpo began his career at the 3 and has the speed and length to lock down opposing wings.

Ultimately the positional designations when Parker and Antetokounmpo play together are irrelevant. Parker is heavier and perhaps stronger, making him a good choice for the slower forward matchup. Antetokounmpo is then free to take the faster option and use his incredible length to seal off the rim and contest shots. That pairing has been inconsistent on the season, with some combinations dominating and others faltering, but the potential is there.