3 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks won’t repeat as NBA champions

3 of 4

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN – JUNE 10: Kevin Durant #7 of the Brooklyn Nets and P.J. Tucker #17 of the Milwaukee Bucks exchange words during the second half of Game Three of the Eastern Conference second round playoff series at the Fiserv Forum on June 10, 2021 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. 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. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) /

3 reasons why the Milwaukee Bucks won’t repeat as NBA champions: PJ Tucker

Okay, this may sound a bit crazy, but this is going to end up being a huge factor come playoff time. In the NBA playoffs last year, PJ Tucker was a crucial part of Milwaukee’s playoff run.

In terms of defensive players, Tucker was the single-most important person on the floor for the Bucks in the playoffs last year. Yes, Giannis Antetokounmpo was the best overall defender on the team, but Tucker was the most important.

He was tasked with guarding some of the best players in the NBA, not only as the primary matchup, but for extended minutes. The two most notable players he guarded in the playoffs were Devin Booker and Kevin Durant.

Tucker guarded Booker for 28:56 of total game time. But that number doesn’t hold a candle to Durant, as Tucker guarded him for 70:44 of game time throughout a seven-game series.

Now, when you look at Booker and Durant’s shooting numbers, you may not be all that impressed. But it’s important to take a different perspective when looking at it.

With players as talented as Booker and Durant, it’s going to be nearly impossible to consistently stop them – you need to focus on slowing them down. Tucker not only did that, but he also took a ton of defensive pressure off of guys like Antetokounmpo and Jrue Holiday.

With Tucker gone, Antetokounmpo and Holiday are going to have to exert that much more energy on defense, which could be a real problem for extended periods of time.

Home/Milwaukee Bucks