Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from Game 4 loss vs. Raptors

1. 3-point struggles limit Milwaukee’s offense

Arguably the biggest factor in Milwaukee’s rise to the top of the NBA standings was its newfound investment in the 3-point shot. What used to be a cluttered offense was spaced out around the Greek Freak, whose relentless attacks of the basket would usually lead to an open shot for either himself or a shooter.

It’s a strategy that’s clearly worked out for the most part, just not so much in Game 4. The Bucks hit just 31.4 percent of their 35 attempts from beyond the arc, a far cry from the 35.3 percent they shot during the regular season.

Malcolm Brogdon hit only one of his three looks from downtown. George Hill and Ersan Ilyasova combined for 1-of-4 shooting. The most startling of all the struggles, though, was Nikola Mirotic and his 2-for-8 outing.

Milwaukee inserted Mirotic into the starting lineup once Brogdon went down late in the season and kept him in upon his return. He’s shooting just 21.4 percent from distance during this series. Given the stakes of Game 5, it may be time to make the switch back.

Overall, Milwaukee is shooting just 29.9 percent from the 3-point line during this series. The Raptors possess lanky defenders of their own, and they’ve done a great job at building a wall around Antetokounmpo while still sprinting out to guard against the 3-ball.

The entire efficiency of the Bucks’ offensive output revolves around their ability to space the floor for Giannis and force defenses into a problem there isn’t an answer for. Struggling to hit shots puts even more pressure on Antetokounmpo to produce and allows Toronto’s defense to load up a paint he’s had little resistance getting to.