Milwaukee Bucks: Why Sam Merrill should play with Giannis Antetokounmpo

Let’s take a look at how Sam Merrill fits in the Milwaukee Bucks’ offense and why he should get more minutes with Giannis Antetokounmpo

The Milwaukee Bucks obtained the last pick in the 2020 NBA draft in the four-team deal where they acquired Jrue Holiday from the New Orleans Pelicans. Milwaukee used the 60th overall pick to select shooting guard Sam Merrill out of Utah State.

Before entering the league, Merrill was known as a 3-point shooter as he had a career shooting percentage of 42 percent from behind the arc on 5.8 attempts per game in four seasons at Utah State.  At first glance, Merrill’s skill set makes him an ideal fit for head coach Mike Budenholzer’s offensive system.

Budenholzer is currently running an offense revolving around isolation, post-up, and transition possessions. The team is leading the league in transition possessions over the first 13 games averaging 25.3 per game. Milwaukee has given 32 percent of their transition possessions to Giannis Antetokounmpo as he is averaging 8.1 per game.

On the other hand, the Milwaukee Bucks are currently ranked 5th in isolations averaging 9 possessions per game in the first 13 games.  Antetokounmpo has been involved in 44.4 percent of those isolations averaging 4 per game. Milwaukee has also been 8th in post-up possessions averaging 6.7 per game. Budenholzer has handed Antetokounmpo 44.8 percent of those possessions as he is averaging 3 per game.

Antetokounmpo’s involvement in every facet of the offense has relegated his teammates into playing the floor spacer role. Holiday and Donte DiVincenzo have attempted more than 35 percent of their field goals from behind the arc over the first 13 games.

Holiday is attempting 4.5 3-pointers per game, 36.7 percent of his total field goal attempts this season. On the other hand,  DiVincenzo has taken 4.8 threes per game, 56.8 percent of his shots. Consequently, Merrill would be an ideal player to put alongside Antetokounmpo due to his 3-point shooting ability.

The Milwaukee Bucks can unlock Sam Merrill alongside Giannis

Unfortunately,  Budenholzer has barely played him as Merrill is averaging 6.1 minutes per game in 7 appearances. 85.7 percent of Merrill’s minutes have come in the fourth quarter of games that the Bucks have won or lost by double digits.

Merrill has shot 66.7 percent from behind the arc in these limited minutes on 0.9 attempts per game. The conversion rate has helped him create 1.8 points per game from 3-point land, 90 percent of his scoring output.

Merrill’s statistics have helped him positively influence the team as they have shot 50 percent from the field on 10.6 attempts per game. The field goal percentage contributed to them outscoring opponents by 2 points as they have created 15 points per game.

Unfortunately, the majority of Merrill’s minutes have been when Antetokounmpo is finished for the night in garbage time, as they’ve shared the court three times for 1.3 minutes per game. The team has shot 50.0 percent from the field on 2.0 attempts per game, creating 2.0 points.

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Merrill’s shooting track record indicates he should get more minutes alongside Antetokounmpo. Sadly, Budenholzer would have to reduce someone’s minutes for this to happen. A perfect candidate to have his minutes reduced is Pat Connaughton.

Connaughton has taken 57.2 percent of his field goals from behind the arc in Milwaukee, attempting 2.9 per game in two-plus seasons with the team. He has only converted 34.3 percent of those field goals.

Connaughton’s subpar shooting contributed to the team converting 48.4 percent of their shots on 18.4 attempts when he shared the court with Antetokounmpo. The field goal percentage contributed to them outscoring opponents by 3.6 points as they have created 25.3 points in 9.8 minutes per game.

The team is more productive when Antetokounmpo is paired with a shooter. For example, George Hill took 44.6 percent of his field goals from behind the arc in Milwaukee, attempting 2.8 per game in just over a season with the team. He made 38.5 percent of those field goals.

The Milwaukee Bucks shot 47.1 percent from the field on 20.4 attempts per game. The field goal percentage contributed to them outscoring opponents by 4.1 points as they created 27.4 points in 11.1 minutes per game.

Consequently, Budenholzer should only play Connaughton for 10 minutes per game for the next 10-to-15 games. It would be a 40.8 percent decrease as Connaughton is averaging 16.9 minutes per game this season. Those minutes should go Merrill to see if the team performs better with the extra shooter.