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The Milwaukee Bucks made the biggest move of the NBA offseason when they traded for Damian Lillard.
Their defense was expected to take a hit without Jrue Holiday, considering he’s one of the most suffocating perimeter stoppers in the league.
Lillard has never been known for his defensive prowess, but the Bucks still had enough good defenders — including a former Defensive Player of the Year — to make up for that loss.
Still, that hasn’t shown thus far, as they currently rank 29th in defensive rating this season (via StatMuse).
The Bucks are currently 29th in defensive rating this season. pic.twitter.com/1YlpWAqgSr
— StatMuse (@statmuse) November 2, 2023
The Bucks have had a couple of subpar outings, dropping games to the Atlanta Hawks and Toronto Raptors, two potential playoff rivals they should’ve had no problem getting by.
Their intensity on the glass has been less than impressive, and they’ve been getting absolutely destroyed from beyond the arc.
Of course, all teams need an adjustment period when a new piece arrives, but the Bucks’ core is pretty much intact.
It might also have something to do with the fact that Adrian Griffin is a first-year coach replacing a veteran like Mike Budenholzer.
It’s still early, but Griffin has looked way over his head at times, failing to make adjustments after getting off to slow starts, and allowing other teams to get hot and make big runs before calling a timeout.
Even so, this team has more than enough talent to right the ship and get better.
If not, they might have to make some moves and get some 3-and-D pieces.
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