Things haven't been going well for the Milwaukee Bucks as of late. On a four-game losing streak, the team is trying to find answers to their ongoing slump. They're currently locked in a battle with the Boston Celtics, and looking at the players on the floor, the Bucks have made a tweak to their starting unit. In place of Malik Beasley is defensive specialist Patrick Beverley. The lineup change was announced before the game, based on Shams Charania's tweet.
Patrick Beverley's impact on the floor
Based on the numbers, one may initially question Milwaukee's decision. This season, Beverley averages 5.9 points, 3.1 assists and 2.8 rebounds per game. Beasley, on the other hand, puts up 11.4 points and 3.7 rebounds per game. In addition, Beasley ranks ninth in the NBA in three-pointers made this season.
However, Beverley's impact isn't seen in the box scores. Any NBA fan who's been watching recently would know that Pat Bev's specialty lies on the other side of the ball — in other words, defense. With Beverley on the floor to begin the game, Milwaukee will immediately have a primary defender for opposing star players (especially at the guard and the wing spot).
Beverley may be undersized at 6'2, but he sure plays bigger than it. To fully realize his impact, one has to watch the fiery guard hound opposing players to the point of frustration. Whether it's a crafty ball handler or a bulldozing slasher, Pat-Bev isn't afraid to get physical with whoever he's assigned to defend.
He doesn't care if opponents lose their cool as well. Throughout his career, Beverley has been involved in various scuffles and altercations. As long as it ends up throwing the other person's game off, then mission accomplished.
The Bucks as of late
As for the Bucks' ongoing slump, it's been hard on the eyes of the Milwaukee community. Before Tuesday's ongoing clash, the fans just witnessed the team go 3-7 in their last 10 games. While there have been flashes of reminders about their second-seed standing, such as the six-game-winning streak from late February to early March, the Bucks have gone 15-15 through their last 30 games.
Looking at the stats, Milwaukee is doing well offensively. The team scores an average of 119.7 points per game (4th in the league) while shooting 48.8% from the floor (7th). Additionally, the Bucks make 14.3 three-pointers per game (5th).
Rebounding-wise, it isn't bad either. The Bucks' large frontline is the main reason why the team hauls down 44.3 boards per contest (9th), with 34.8 of those rebounds coming from the defensive side (3rd in defensive rebounds per game).
However, Milwaukee's 115.2 defensive rating is in the bottom half of the league (19th). The departure of Jrue Holiday during the offseason has taken a toll on the team defensively, which is probably why Doc Rivers opted to try and see if Patrick Beverley could alleviate the Bucks' woes.
Could Pat Bev's placement on the starting lineup be the answer to the team's defensive conundrum? That remains to be seen, but one thing's for sure: he'll definitely give it his all each time he steps on the court.
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