Milwaukee will own the No. 3 seed in the East and will host a rematch with the No. 6 seed Miami Heat in a highly anticipated first-round playoff matchup. The series begins this weekend as they seek revenge, which will be the first stepping stone toward the ultimate goal.
It’s safe to say that the Bucks have a very good chance of accomplishing just that. With the addition of Jrue Holiday and high-impact role players such as Bobby Portis, P.J. Tucker, and Bryn Forbes, Milwaukee has one of the best squads that the organization has ever assembled.
Together, the Bucks led the league offensively by averaging 120.2 points per game, which also happens to be a franchise record. It’s been a consistent stretch of efficient offense for head coach Mike Budenholzer’s team all year, and then full of experimenting on the other end.
Defensively, the Bucks spent the regular season trying to maximize their scheme for the most part. After experimenting with different tactics all year, the defense should be the key to unlocking their utmost potential.
However, another essential factor in the playoffs, which has haunted the Bucks in the past and has raised questions about Bud’s floor decisions, will be the rotations and minutes distribution within the team. Last postseason, poor decision-making on playing time between personnel proved to be costly at times, especially during the second-round crumble to the Heat, and that can’t happen again if the Milwaukee Bucks want to make a deep run this year.
Pressure has knowingly been mounting on Budenholzer to take this Bucks team over the hump this season, and now it’s time for him to prove that he’s the right man for the job moving forward. After disappointing playoff exits in his first two postseasons with Milwaukee, Bud will hope that the third time’s the charm.
If the Milwaukee Bucks are indeed successful this time around under Bud, it will all start with the rotational decisions and minutes distribution. Let’s take a look at how it should all be constructed as the Bucks prepare to chase glory.
Milwaukee Bucks</a> will enter the postseason as legitimate title contenders once again. Although, this time around, they’ll be pushing for a much better finish than the last few years.</p>
<p>Milwaukee will own the No. 3 seed in the East and will host a rematch with the No. 6 seed Miami Heat in a highly anticipated first-round playoff matchup. The series begins this weekend as they seek revenge, which will be the first stepping stone toward the ultimate goal.</p>
<p>It’s safe to say that the Bucks have a very good chance of accomplishing just that. With the addition of <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/h/holidjr01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Jrue Holiday</a> and high-impact role players such as Bobby Portis, P.J. Tucker, and Bryn Forbes, Milwaukee has one of the best squads that the organization has ever assembled.</p>
<p>Of course, they are led by the reigning back-to-back MVP <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/a/antetgi01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Giannis Antetokounmpo</a>, who has quietly put together another MVP-caliber season. Even though Giannis will most likely miss out on a third consecutive MVP honor in favor of Denver’s <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/jokicni01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Nikola Jokic</a>, that doesn’t take away the fact that he’s had another dominant season for the Bucks. The Greek Freak averaged 28.1 points, 11.0 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.2 blocks on 56.9 percent field goals across 61 games during the regular season.</p>
<p>Together, the Bucks led the league offensively by averaging 120.2 points per game, which also happens to be a franchise record. It’s been a consistent stretch of efficient offense for head coach Mike Budenholzer’s team all year, and then full of experimenting on the other end.</p>
<p>Defensively, the Bucks spent the regular season trying to maximize their scheme for the most part. After experimenting with different tactics all year, the defense should be the key to unlocking their utmost potential.</p>
<p>However, another essential factor in the playoffs, which has haunted the Bucks in the past and has raised questions about Bud’s floor decisions, will be the rotations and minutes distribution within the team. Last postseason, poor decision-making on playing time between personnel proved to be costly at times, especially during the second-round crumble to the Heat, and that can’t happen again if the Milwaukee Bucks want to make a deep run this year.</p>
<h2>As the Milwaukee Bucks gear up for the playoffs with high aspirations, how should their rotation be constructed moving forward?</h2>
<p>Pressure has knowingly been mounting on Budenholzer to take this Bucks team over the hump this season, and now it’s time for him to prove that he’s the right man for the job moving forward. After disappointing playoff exits in his first two postseasons with Milwaukee, Bud will hope that <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/07/milwaukee-bucks-prove-nba-playoffs/">the third time’s the charm</a>.</p>
<p>If the Milwaukee Bucks are indeed successful this time around under Bud, it will all start with the rotational decisions and minutes distribution. Let’s take a look at how it should all be constructed as the Bucks prepare to chase glory.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Starters </a>
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<img class="wp-image-428678 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1315911952.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1315911952.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1315911952-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Milwaukee Bucks Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images</p>
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<h2>Milwaukee Bucks: How the playoff rotation should be constructed – Starters</h2>
<p>Heading into the playoffs, the starting lineup for the Bucks will surely remain the same as it has been all season. The interesting part will be how Budenholzer divides up the minutes between everyone and how much is allocated to each player.</p>
<p>Nevertheless, here’s how the minutes <strong>should</strong> be distributed for each starter:</p>
<h3>Jrue Holiday</h3>
<p><strong>Minutes: 38-40 per game</strong></p>
<p>In his first season with the Milwaukee Bucks, Jrue Holiday has been beyond expectations. While he’s been efficient on both ends of the floor with averages of 17.7 points, 6.1 assists, and 1.6 steals per game on 50.3 percent field goals and 39.2 percent from beyond the arc, those numbers are bound to increase in the playoffs.</p>
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<p>The Bucks have a 41-18 record when Jrue plays, and are 5-7 without him. Clearly, he’s extremely important to this team. Due to his outstanding ability to impact the game on so many levels along with the lack of natural ball handlers that the Bucks have, there’s no question that the two-way star should play as much as possible in the playoffs.</p>
<p>Holiday has been an upgrade over Eric Bledsoe at the point guard position by miles and should be poised to prove it on the biggest stage. Good results happen for Milwaukee when Jrue Holiday is on the floor.</p>
<h3>Donte DiVincenzo</h3>
<p><strong>Minutes: 25-27 per game</strong></p>
<p>After flying off to an insanely productive start before going through a long rough stretch mid-season, <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"http://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/11/milwaukee-bucks-donte-divincenzo-swagger/">Donte DiVincenzo has seemed to regain his swagger back at the perfect time</a>. In his last five games, the versatile guard is averaging 13.6 points per game and shooting 39.3 percent from downtown on the season.</p>
<p>He’s continuing to find a comfortable rhythm in his game while boosting confidence and utilizing his strengths as the starting two-guard for the Bucks. Donte fits well alongside the other starters with his high motor, intelligent instincts, adaptability, and non-stop desire to make the right play. He’s earned his playing time and will continue to do so if he stays consistent in his role.</p>
<p>The former Villanova standout averaged 27.5 minutes per game during the regular season, so it’s fair to assume that he’ll average about the same or a bit less than that in the playoffs as he should. DiVincenzo has had an impactful season for the most part by serving as Milwaukee’s “Swiss Army Knife” with all the little things that he does for this team, so his minutes shouldn’t be altered to a large extent unless he falls back into a slump.</p>
<h3>Khris Middleton</h3>
<p><strong>Minutes: 38-40 per game</strong></p>
<p>Another year, another efficient season in the works for <a href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/middlkh01.html?utm_campaign=Linker&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=linker-%22 target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" ref="nofollow">Khris Middleton</a>. Still one of the most underrated players in the NBA, Khris averaged 20.4 points, 6.0 rebounds, 5.4 assists, and 1.1 steals on 47.6 percent field goals and 41.4 percent from 3 during the regular season.</p>
<p>While his numbers took a slight dip from last season likely due to the arrival of Jrue Holiday, his diminished role should be looked at as a positive for both him and the team. With Jrue entering the picture, there is now less pressure and a lesser workload for Middleton on both ends of the floor.</p>
<p>It should allow him to accumulate increased minutes without needing as much rest, and the Bucks simply just need to play their best players as much as possible. It’s a scary sight when Khris Middleton is the third option on a team. Budenholzer needs to maximize his impact during this playoff run because when he starts rolling, Milwaukee doesn’t hold back.</p>
<h3>Giannis Antetokounmpo</h3>
<p><strong>Minutes: 38-40 per game</strong></p>
<p>Not much needs to be said about the minutes of Giannis Antetokounmpo. Obviously, the superstar would play all 48 minutes if he could. He’s a special talent that needs to be fed, and this could be the year where he puts it all together when it matters most.</p>
<p>Giannis’s minutes should be similar to those of Holiday and Middleton’s. He will need his rest with the amount of force and energy that he pushes out each possession, but unless he’s in foul trouble or having health issues, Antetokounmpo must play more in the playoffs than the previous years under Bud.</p>
<p>Most importantly, at least one of Giannis, Khris, or Jrue should be on the floor for the Bucks throughout the entire game during this postseason stretch.</p>
<h3>Brook Lopez</h3>
<p><strong>Minutes: 24-26 per game</strong></p>
<p>Brook Lopez could be the difference-maker in a series with his abilities to affect the game on both ends. His presence in the middle can be so intimidating to opponents defensively and has proved to be a threat from scoring at all levels whether it’s draining 3’s, hitting one-legged Dirk-like fadeaway jumpers, or crafting in the paint.</p>
<p>The big man averaged 27.2 minutes per game during the regular season, which should stay similar throughout the playoffs. Lopez’s opportunities may dip a little bit, especially in crunch time or depending on matchups, since the Bucks may opt to go smaller and utilize their small-ball lineups with Giannis at center more often.</p>
<div class="next-slide slider"> <a class="next-slide-btn" style="background:#222423" data-track="shortcode" data-track-action="next-slide-shortcode" href=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"#"> <span class="title">Next:</span> Bench </a>
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<img class="wp-image-428889 size-full" src=https://hoopshabit.com/2021/05/19/milwaukee-bucks-playoff-rotation/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/c_fill,g_auto,f_auto,h_1067,w_1600/http%3A%2F%2Fhoopshabit.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2Fgetty-images%2F2018%2F08%2F1317542678.jpeg" alt="" width="1600" height="1067" srcset="https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1317542678.jpeg 1600w, https://hoopshabit.com/wp-content/uploads/getty-images/2018/08/1317542678-768x512.jpeg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px"><div class="fs-center-img">
<p class="wp-caption-text" style="width:1600px;">Milwaukee Bucks (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)</p>
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<h2>Milwaukee Bucks: How the playoff rotation should be constructed – Bench</h2>
<p>Thanks to high-valued signings in the offseason and a big trade prior to the deadline, the Milwaukee Bucks have one of the most impactful benches in the league. It’s already pretty clear who will be in the rotation out of the so-called ‘Bench Mob’ in Milwaukee, but configuring the minutes of each valuable role player will be the key.</p>
<h3>P.J. Tucker</h3>
<p><strong>Minutes: 26-28 per game</strong></p>
<p>Acquiring PJ Tucker was an excellent move by general manager Jon Horst and the Milwaukee Bucks front office. The veteran forward’s pure grit and top-tier communication skills will help this team beyond measures in the playoffs.</p>
<p>Tucker gives the Bucks an essential component of versatility. On the defensive end, he will be key to Milwaukee’s scheme with the different options that they’ll have such as going smaller within the lineup or just wanting to switch more. He won’t start for the Bucks but deserves starter-like minutes as a trustworthy, versatile, tough-minded asset.</p>
<h3>Bobby Portis</h3>
<p><strong>Minutes: 19-21 per game</strong></p>
<p>Bobby Portis has had an amazing season for the Milwaukee Bucks off the bench, and he’ll be determined to continue to efficiently execute in his role with his ‘underdog’ mentality during the playoffs. Portis is shooting an impressive 47.1 percent from beyond the arc this year compared to just 35.8 percent last season, which says a lot about how far he’s come with his jump shot and how well he’s fit with the Bucks.</p>
<p>He’s shown his value and has seemed to find his ideal role on a title-contending team. Bobby averaged 20.8 minutes per game during the regular season, so there’s no reason to change that consistency heading into the postseason.</p>
<h3>Bryn Forbes</h3>
<p><strong>Minutes: 19-21 per game</strong></p>
<p>Similar to Portis, Bryn Forbes has established a consistent role for the Bucks off the bench in his first season with the team. He continues to be a lethal threat from downtown by shooting 45.2 percent on 3’s, and makes it so difficult for defenders to close him down with his off-ball movement.</p>
<p>Forbes should maintain his role entering the playoffs as well after the sharpshooter averaged 19.3 minutes per game across the regular season. He’s another valuable weapon that could quickly get hot from the floor.</p>
<h3>Pat Connaughton</h3>
<p><strong>Minutes: 9-11 per game</strong></p>
<p>With most of the stars and key role players seeing their minutes increase in the playoffs, Pat Connaughton should be the one that sees his minutes significantly decrease. Connaughton played 22.8 minutes per game during the regular season, but that should roughly be cut in half now that the Bucks are heading into the playoffs with little room for mistake in what will be a challenging path to the NBA Finals.</p>
<p>Pat will likely play more than he should since Budenholzer trusts him, but it hasn’t worked out in previous postseasons for the most part. When the season is on the line, Connaughton should not be given close to over 20 minutes or guard one of the other team’s best players while better options are available. Connaughton is a good role player, but not worthy of all that time on a championship-contending team.</p>
<h3>Wild Card: Jeff Teague</h3>
<p>Lastly, the wild card for the Bucks is Jeff Teague. The veteran guard could be inserted into the rotation depending on foul trouble, injuries, personnel on the floor, or his experience could be favored over guys like DiVincenzo, Forbes, and Connaughton at times.</p>
<p>The Bucks have a very deep, talented squad, so the playoff rotation will be an important and interesting factor as Mike Budenholzer faces the pressure. The Milwaukee Bucks have what it takes to win it all this year, but they must maximize their rotations and minutes distribution throughout the playoffs if they want to reach their ultimate potential.</p>
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