Why the Milwaukee Bucks guards are crucial to their NBA title hopes

If the Milwaukee Bucks are going to win the NBA championship, their trio of veteran guards, Eric Bledsoe, Wes Matthews and George Hill must come up big.

As the NBA’s restart grows nearer, fans anticipate which team will eventually be crowned champion. Having the best regular season record thus far, inevitably the Milwaukee Bucks are one of the first teams mentioned during such conversations. With their best player, reigning league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, and their other Allstar both being forwards, naturally fans tend to think of the Bucks as a frontcourt-led team.

Their starting center, Brook Lopez, was once an All-Star. Now he’s known as the 7-footer who might pull up from deep when the shot clock’s not even close to expiring. But for all their frontcourt prowess there is an aspect to Milwaukee’s attack that’s underappreciated and critical to their success, their guards.

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After a delayed arrival to the Orlando bubble due to a positive diagnosis for COVID-19, Eric Bledsoe is back with the team. As an athletic finisher, underrated defender, and streaky shooter, Bledsoe’s contributions will be a key factor as to whether the Bucks live up to their full potential.

While the former Kentucky Wildcat’s play can speak for itself, it doesn’t hurt when you have the support of the team’s franchise player. Back in January Giannis told reporters he felt Bledsoe was snubbed when he didn’t make the All-Star team. Having earned the trust and confidence of his peers, it’s now up to “Mini-LeBron” to prove them right.

In today’s NBA, good outside shooting is a must. Shooting forty percent from 3-point range is considered excellent. Milwaukee’s starting shooting guard, Wes Matthews, is a career 38.1 percent shooter from beyond the arc. That’s what the guys at the Kroc Center call a “knockdown” shooter.

Back when he was a member of the Mavericks, Matthews tied a team record by hitting 10 threes in one game. While he probably won’t get that many attempts from three-point land in a single game with this Milwaukee Bucks team, it’ll be crucial for him to let it fly with confidence when his number is called.

Milwaukee not only has a solid starting backcourt; they’ve also got the luxury of having a solid combo guard off the bench. George Hill is remembered most for his run in Indiana where those Pacers’ teams of the early 2010s were good enough to challenge “The Heatles” in the playoffs but couldn’t quite get over the hump.

The man Greg Popovich once reluctantly traded for Kawhi Leonard also has NBA Finals experience. And although that missed free throw at the end of regulation of Game 1 may be a memory he’d like to forget, Milwaukee will rely on his veteran leadership as they hope to make it to this year’s final round.

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Penny Hardaway once said that back, when he played for the Magic, having Shaq on the team, made everyone else’s job easier because opposing defenses had to focus on him. Milwaukee’s trio of veteran guards finds themselves in a similar situation this year. Giannis Antetokounmpo cannot be defended by single coverage. Even when opposing teams double him, he often manages to get all the way to the rim for a powerful dunk.

The team’s other All-Star, Kris Middleton, is a versatile forward who Bucks fans have come to rely on for added offensive firepower. However, if Milwaukee is going to make it out of the East, Bledsoe, Matthews and Hill must be ready. Opposing teams know what to expect from Antetokounmpo and Middleton; their backcourt production is the X factor.

Speaking of making it out of the East, Milwaukee’s guards will certainly have their hands full with the Eastern Conference’s best backcourt. Popular opinion dictates that the defending champion Toronto Raptors, Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers are the three teams with the best shot at stopping the Milwaukee Bucks from making the Finals.

Toronto’s backcourt of Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet aiming to help the Raptors repeat as NBA champions. Boston’s backcourt features perennial All-Star Kemba Walker and the athletic up-and-comer Jaylen Brown. In Philadelphia, Josh Richardson has been steady as the 76ers off-guard and Shake Milton has been such a discovery that head coach Brett Brown felt comfortable enough to move him into the starting lineup and move star guard Ben Simmons to forward. None of these matchups will be a walk in the park. Milwaukee’s guards can’t take a single night off in the postseason.

Eric Bledsoe is a veteran whose teammates feel he was snubbed from the All-Star team. Wes Matthews can get hot from beyond the arc and make an impact on the outcome of a game. George Hill has been a part of several deep playoff runs, including a trip to the NBA Finals. These three guards will be relied upon heavily in the Milwaukee Bucks quest for a championship. If history is any indicator, all three will be up for the challenge.