(All stats accurate as of 2/27/24)
The struggles of the Milwaukee Bucks have been a prominent topic of discussion in NBA media throughout the season. With so many issues to choose from, including Damian Lillard’s concerning performance, coaching drama, and a lackluster bench, it’s been easy for people to pile on Milwaukee and relentlessly criticize them.
Lost in that buzz of negativity has been the emergence of A.J. Green. Amidst uncertainty and inconsistentcy, the undrafted sophomore has found his niche for a contender and proven he has a future in this league. That niche? Draining threes.
Green has taken 88% of his shots from deep this year. His job is to hunt triples and he’s employee of the month. He never does too much, he just hangs out beyond the arc and waits for when Giannis or Dame draw help. Once they do, he’s right there to capitalize on the advantage. He’s cashed in 46% of his spot-up treys on the season, and that ability to make defenses pay for sending extra bodies at Milwaukee’s stars has made him a super valuable weapon in lineups with the Greek Freak.
He does more than just spot up, though. He’s very comfortable as a movement shooter and is deadly coming off handoffs or pitches. He’s made 47% of his shots of that variety on the year. Because he’s generally a low-minute guy, Green isn’t really a big focus for opposing defenses at this point, but once he inevitably ends up on scouting reports, he’ll be able to bend defenses with the threat of his shooting when he’s flying around in actions off the ball.
Green is a deadeye shooter, but that’s not special. Plenty of guys can shoot in the modern NBA. What makes him a real rotational-caliber player is the fact that he’s not one-dimensional. Specialists are a dying breed, and to get minutes in games that matter, players have to be able to do multiple things. Green’s versatility as a shooter puts him a level above the average spot-up guy, but what truly separates him from specialists is his defense.
While stereotypes surrounding players of Green’s archetype suggest he would be a poor defender, he is more than meets the eye on that end. The fundamental element of good defense is effort, and Green gives that. That alone prevents him from being a liability. He doesn’t just give effort, though, he yields results. He’s a quality on-ball defender who gets stops in one-on-one situations. He navigates screens and keeps his man in front. Bottom line, you can’t pick on Green, and that fact will allow him to contribute in the postseason.
The most impressive part of Green’s development has been that he’s doing all of it in less than 10 minutes per game. He’s been buried in the depth chart behind other more experienced wings on Milwaukee’s roster, but he stays ready and shows up when his number is called. He’s averaged a respectable 9 PPG in games where he’s played 15+ minutes this season. On February 8th, in a battle versus the Timberwolves, he dropped a career-high 27-piece with nine three-point makes.
The next step for Green will be to add another level to his offensive game. As mentioned before, his playstyle is three-point heavy. He has taken just 3% of his shots at the rim in his career and has attempted only 12 free throws. In a playoff setting he would be pressured on the perimeter, and he needs to be able to put the ball on the floor and attack closeouts as a counter. Being able to drive and finish at the rim when defenses close out hard on him would make him much more dynamic and hard to guard.
Fueled by fiery three-point shooting and sound defense, the man with a baby face and a silky jumper nicknamed Dairy Bird has established himself as an NBA player. A.J. Green is here to stay, folks. He’s going to be torching your favorite teams from outside for a long, long time.
The Bench Mob Blog 