Bucks’ Lineup Changes: Middleton’s Health and Defensive Improvements
The Milwaukee Bucks have made some significant changes to their lineup, with Khris Middleton moving to the bench. This decision, as explained by head coach Doc Rivers, is primarily due to ongoing health concerns. Middleton has been dealing with tendonitis, and the team is taking a cautious approach to manage his minutes and recovery.
Rivers’ comments about Middleton’s condition raised some eyebrows. He mentioned that Khris isn’t consistently moving the way they’d like him to, and there’s no real sample size to evaluate his performance because he hasn’t been fully healthy yet. This revelation is concerning, especially considering how careful the Bucks have been with Middleton’s return to play.
The silver lining in this situation is the Bucks’ improved depth compared to last season. We now have more options to fill the void left by Middleton’s reduced minutes. Players like AJ Green, Gary Trent Jr, and Taurean Prince can step up and contribute meaningful minutes.
Defensive Improvements
Despite the challenges with Middleton’s health, the Bucks have shown remarkable improvement on the defensive end. Since our 2-8 start, we’ve climbed to the fourth-best defensive rating in the league. Only elite defensive teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Orlando Magic, and Houston Rockets have performed better during this stretch.
What’s particularly impressive is our transition defense. While we still allow a high frequency of transition opportunities (third-most in the league), we’ve improved to 13th in transition defense efficiency since the 2-8 start. This is a significant leap from being in the bottom 5 in frequency and bottom 10 in efficiency during those first ten games.
Credit must be given to assistant coach Greg Buckner for his defensive schemes. The way we’ve deployed Giannis Antetokounmpo and Brook Lopez has made it incredibly difficult for opponents to score at the rim. We’re forcing teams to beat us from the perimeter, a strategy that has brought us success in the past.
As we continue to build on these defensive improvements, our focus now shifts to unlocking our offensive potential. With Giannis and Damian Lillard leading the charge, we have the firepower to become a formidable two-way team.
For more insights and a deeper dive into the Bucks’ lineup changes and defensive strategies, tune into the Locked On Bucks podcast for this and much more.
Other Topics in Today’s Locked On Bucks Podcast:
• Andre Jackson Jr.'s role and minutes distribution
• AJ Green’s potential as a starter
• Upcoming matchups against Orlando Magic and New York Knicks
