Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NBA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Bucks fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
We’re combining this week’s tracking poll with the Reacts survey, soliciting your opinions on the state of the Bucks’ frontcourt. Jack and I discussed Myles Turner’s usage by this coaching staff on the most recent episode of Deer Diaries, including how Jericho Sims continues receiving
more minutes. That’s inversely proportional to their contract sizes, but the two bring pretty different skillsets on both ends at the five.
While Sims is definitely the switchier option, which is important, the Bucks are too small and routinely get abused on switches. I certainly wouldn’t abandon switching altogether because it’s needed, especially in late-game situations, but I contend that it shouldn’t be their base scheme, preferring drop coverage with Turner. We’ve seen next to no drop from the Bucks this year, and despite a younger team which should theoretically switch better, this is their worst defense since the Jason Kidd years.
When that was their primary defensive look in the Brook Lopez years, Milwaukee always ranked among the top defenders of roll men, even last season. This year, they’re in 29th. If Turner wasn’t being switched off every pick-and-roll, or he wasn’t heading to the corner every time up the floor offensively and thus needing to cover more ground to get back on defense, I don’t think they’d be that bad. Maybe even solid. Essentially, use Turner like Brook Lopez, as we assumed they would, then use Sims when you need to switch, which shouldn’t always be their look.
In this week’s Tuesday Tracker, weigh in on Turner vs. Sims. We’re also keeping an eye on the Pelicans, who keep moving up the standings and are just a game away from seventh in the lottery standings; how should that impact the Bucks, given the swap rights they hold? For reference, here are the chances Milwaukee ends up at various draft positions if they remain in 10th and New Orleans is either sixth or seventh, factoring in that the better pick ends up in The Big Easy (though it then becomes property of Atlanta) via the swap:
As always, this poll will be open until midnight Central on Friday, and we’ll post the results later that day. Thanks for voting!
