The Milwaukee Bucks are hoping P.J. Tucker has one more playoff run left in him.
The Milwaukee Bucks have become somewhat of an afterthought in the Eastern Conference, especially after the big moves that the Brooklyn Nets have made thus far this season. Though, you can make the argument that the Bucks’ best basketball for this year is still in front of them.
Even after acquiring Jrue Holiday during the offseason, the Bucks have not yet played at a level that resembles what this team did during the regular season last year.
But that should scare the rest of the Eastern Conference. Milwaukee has a high ceiling and hasn’t hit it yet. And after acquiring P.J. Tucker from the Houston Rockets, that ceiling may have raised a bit more.
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Milwaukee acquired P.J. Tucker (along with Rodions Kurucs and their 2022 first-round pick) in a three-team trade in exchange for D.J Augustin, D.J. Wilson, Torrey Craig, and an unprotected 2023 first-round pick.
The Bucks are hoping that Tucker will be able to be the missing piece for this team as they prepare for the postseason. Tucker is listed as a power forward but will likely play more small-ball center for the Bucks when he is ready to enter the rotation.
He’s a versatile defender that can guard nearly every position on the floor and will be a huge defensive asset for a team that is already talented on that end of the floor. Offensively, he can help stretch the floor and give this team another deep threat in the frontcourt.
The big question is whether Tucker can play such a vital role for the Bucks. This season in Houston, Tucker was only averaging four points and five rebounds per game on 37 percent shooting from the field and 31 percent shooting from 3-point range.
In the regular season last year, he averaged seven points per game on 36 percent shooting from 3-point range. It is encouraging that he averaged eight points and seven rebounds per game on 37 percent shooting from 3 in the NBA’s restart bubble playoffs.
Even though the Bucks had to give up some of its depth, adding Tucker was a no-brainer move at this point in the season. Milwaukee is now all-in on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton carrying much of the load.
The likes of Tucker and Brook Lopez will have to deliver in spurts for the Bucks to have a chance at winning the East. Based on what we have seen from Tucker in the past, they must’ve liked their chances at him channeling that form once again.
The Bucks are currently 26-14 on the season, third in the East. They’re just 1.5 games back of the top seed and haven’t even played their best basketball of the year thus far. If Milwaukee can add one more piece, perhaps via the buyout market, this is going to be one dangerous team come playoff time.