Milwaukee Owns The Paint
The Milwaukee Bucks’ ability to score inside is a big reason why they find themselves in prime position for a playoff spot.
The Milwaukee Bucks have one of the best records in the NBA in the month of March with a 12–5 record. This has sprung them all the way up to fifth place in the Eastern Conference. The East has garnered a bad reputation the last few years for being a very top heavy conference. That hasn’t changed this year as there is a huge drop-off in talent after the 1–4 spots. The Bucks, who haven’t won a playoff series since the 2000–01 season, have taken full advantage of this weak Eastern Conference.
As fans, we are hearing more and more about analytics and the importance of efficient shots. We have been scolded about shooting mid-rangers and encouraged to step back behind the three-point line for a more efficient shot. Take the Houston Rockets for example. They have fully embraced Morey-ball and are coached to only take three-pointers or layups. Their players even get called out in film study if they take a mid-range shot. Take a look at this shot chart from their February 25th game against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
On this night the Rockets dropped 142 stinkin’ points on the Timberwolves. All-together the Rockets took 94 shots in this game; 58 of them three-pointers, 34 of them in the paint and only 2 of them from outside the paint. On the season the Rockets average only 4.5 percent of their points from mid-range, last in the NBA. They have revolutionized the game of basketball.
While teams like the Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Boston Celtics are averaging over one-third of their points from downtown, the Bucks have gone in the opposite direction. They are trying desperately to keep up with the revolution while also recognizing their team’s own strengths and weaknesses.
Last year the Bucks were tied for last in the NBA with only 16.3 percent of their points coming from behind the arc. In the offseason, they specifically targeted players who can shoot from distance by signing Mirza Teletovic and Matthew Dellavedova. They also traded for Tony Snell who is having a career year from behind the arc this season. Those three acquisitions have helped the Bucks to a certain degree; this season the Bucks are scoring 25 percent of their points from behind the three-point line, ranking 25th in the NBA.
However, shooting the three-ball just isn’t who the Milwaukee Bucks are. Their star player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, is not an efficient shooter from outside, shooting only 28 percent on three-pointers this season. Giannis has attempted over 2100 shots from inside the paint this season and is making 60 percent of them, higher than the league average of 55.7 percent. Here is what his shot chart looks like this year:
Antetokounmpo’s shot chart is a microcosm of the Milwaukee Bucks team as a whole. The Bucks average 50.8 points in the paint per 100 possessions, which is tops in the NBA. That accounts for 47.2 percent of their points per game, which also ranks first. Surprisingly, the Bucks aggressiveness and willingness to attack the paint has not resulted in very many free throw attempts.
Before Jabari Parker’s ACL tear this season, both he and Antetokounmpo were attacking the rim with reckless abandon. Jason Kidd, the Bucks’ head coach, has taken the long approach with each of his star players. He coached them to not take three’s their first couple seasons and focus on attacking the basket. This has been effective, in part, because it has encouraged each player to be aggressive with the ball in their hands. It has taught them how to get creative in the lane and to score with both finesse and power, depending on what the moment calls for. Antetokounmpo has developed one of the sweetest spin moves in the NBA and relies on it as his go-to move.
With Parker out, Antetokounmpo has continued to be aggressive and attack the rim. He scores 57.3 percent of his points from inside the painted area, ranking only behind Monroe (72.1 percent) and John Henson (74.3 percent) on the Bucks.
The Bucks also rely heavily on scoring from post player extraordinaire Greg Monroe. Monroe rarely leaves the painted area and usually brings a tent to all the games. He likes to camp out inside the lane and move from block to block posting up. Monroe is an old-school big man who relies on back to the basket post ups to score his points.
Transition offense is another reason the Milwaukee Bucks score a lot of points in the paint. The Bucks like to get out and run on misses. The Bucks get out and run in transition about 15 percent of the time and shoot 57 percent (3rd in the NBA) on those transition opportunities. I can continue to bore you with numbers, which I will in the next paragraph, but just know the Bucks rank near the top in a lot of the transition scoring categories.
The Bucks like to get the ball into the 6'11" Antetokounmpo’s hands off missed shots. He often leads the charge and is nearly impossible to stop in transition, providing the NBA with plenty of highlights. Not surprisingly he is one of the main reasons for the Bucks potent transition attack. He shoots 67 percent in transition and draws a shooting foul on an astounding 29 percent of his transition opportunities.
The Milwaukee Bucks may not be up to par with teams like the Houston Rockets or Cleveland Cavaliers as far as three-point shooting goes but it is not for a lack of trying. Milwaukee has adjusted their game to best fit their personnel and it is working for them. The Bucks have let their budding superstar take control of the reigns and lead them to the promise land. So far, Antetokounmpo has taken them deep inside opposing defenses territory, where, both he and the Bucks, are owning the paint.
