Milwaukee Mix-n-Match: Lineup Fixes for the Bucks

Most upper-tier NBA teams can send out the same five guys every night and know they will have results. The bench is there to pick up the one guy who might be having an off-night, or contribute in a specific area of the game like defense, size, or 3-point shooting.

For the Milwaukee Bucks, they do not have that luxury.

The Bucks are not built to win an Eastern Conference Championship, but they have enough weapons in their lineup to be a top-8 team in a mediocre conference. Instead of going the traditional way of a consistent starting five with a set depth chart on the bench, they need to think outside of the box.

Milwaukee has shooters, they have size and agility - and with those three things they can set a variety of starting fives that would match-up better with different squads instead of just having one default starting squad. Here are some lineups I think Milwaukee could try out, after losing four out of five, they might as well try to shake things up.
 

Shooting Squad --- PG Mo Williams, SG Michael Redd, SF Bobby Simmons, PF Charlie Villanueva, C Andrew Bogut

This is Milwaukee's best chance to stay with a high-powered Western Conference style team. When playing a team like the Phoenix Suns, the only chance to pull out a victory is to outscore them, especially with a weak defensive team like the Bucks.

Williams is one of the better shooting PG's in the NBA. Michael Redd is obviously a shooter and has size for a shooting guard. Bobby Simmons is a great athlete with average basketball ability, and can spread a defense out with his ability to take it to the rim. Charlie V. is very soft for a PF, but has great ball skills for a big guy with a good stroke from the outside. Andrew Bogut is easily the most efficient offensive player on the team and there are very few centers who can stop him when he goes to his left hand.

Who to use it against: Phoenix Suns, LA Lakers, Denver Nuggets
 

Speed Squad --- PG Mo Williams, SG Charlie Bell, SF Michael Redd, PF Bobby Simmons, C Yi Jianlian

Sometimes you just have to throw out all common sense and try to outrun a team. This lineup seems odd even to me, but if all else fails and you have to do your best to beat your opponents down the floor, this is your best bet.

Williams can hit the transition jumper, Bell is always capable of jumping into a passing lane and starting a fast break. Redd can hurt you in so many ways that you need him out there. Simmons is a pure athlete and can get down the court for the fast-break dunk. Jianlian can take defenders off the dribble and is quicker than Bogut.

Who to use it against: Golden State Warriors, New Orleans Hornets, Seattle Sonics
 

Half-Court Squad --- PG Royal Ivey, SG Mo Williams, SF Bobby Simmons, PF Yi Jianlian, C Andrew Bogut

This is for your Eastern Conference style of play with a methodical half court set. Ivey is tremendous at understanding his role and playing unselfishly.

Williams can hit from anywhere at anytime and is more willing to make the extra pass compared to Michael Redd. Simmons will never be a threat with his jump-shot, but like I said earlier, he will create open shots for teammates, especially in man-to-man defense. Jianlian is versatile and very coachable, he is willing to play within an offense. Bogut is the finisher, he is the perfect guy to feed the ball down low to in a half-court set.

Who to use it against: Almost all Eastern Conference, especially Chicago Bulls
 

Defensive Squad --- PG Royal Ivey, SG Charlie Bell, SF Michael Ruffin, PF Yi Jianlian, C Andrew Bogut

I saved this set for last, because lets be honest, the Bucks are horrible defensively.

Ivey is easily the best defensive player on the team and puts tremendous pressure on the ball at all times. Bell is smart enough to position himself on defense, and Redd and Williams are defensive nightmares. Ruffin is great at crashing boards and banging bodies, but he would only get limited minutes because his offense is very lackluster. Jianlian once again is very coachable and always tries to slide over on help side. He has to understand footwork in the NBA better and he will improve. Bogut is the most intense player on the team and never gives up on a play, always good for plenty of boards and a few blocks.

Who to use against: Pistons, Jazz, Bobcats, Knicks
 
These are some of my ideas to get the most out of a team that has playoff potential. As a longtime Bucks fan, I am used to seasons like the current one, but I would like to see little changes to try and make improvements. Hopefully, I will be able to write a blog about a Bucks playoff series this year, but unless they do decide to try new sets, I have a feeling it will be another lottery pick for Milwaukee.