It’s a question that many fans will not soon let go: Who let the dog out? Was it a basketball move anticipating a sharp decline? Was it skewed priorities from ownership in the wake of a historic title run?
The dog, after all, was integral to bringing the city of Milwaukee its first championship trophy in 50 years. Anyone who watched the NBA Finals should know how important PJ Tucker’s defense and hustle were to the six-game win over the Phoenix Suns.
Losing Tucker hurts the Bucks in more ways than one. First reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, PJ is now headed to South Beach to play for the Bucks’ former demons in the Miami Heat. It looks like he’ll see minutes next to Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo to bolster their Giannis Wall in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Though fans continue to underrate Tucker in his absence, the Bucks will sorely miss his on-court contributions. Regardless of his age and potential regression, he left Milwaukee with a Tucker-sized hole.
Here’s a quick look at the role PJ Tucker played for the Milwaukee Bucks, and the urgent needs left by his departure.
PJ Tucker’s dog mentality
There should be no argument here: PJ Tucker is an elite defender. There’s a reason Mike Budenholzer trusted him with quicker and taller matchups like Jimmy Butler and Kevin Durant. One look at the results should tell you all you need to know about his impact on that end of the floor.
With Tucker as the closest defender, guards shot 37/98 (37.8%) on field goal attempts, while forwards shot 60/131 (45.8%) in the NBA playoffs. The individual matchup stats paint a better picture of his defense, too. Normally potent scorers like Chris Paul (21.4%), Jimmy Butler (16.7%), and Bogdan Bogdanovic (33.3%) found themselves in jail with Tucker draped on them.
As a result of his overall presence, the Bucks had a net rating of +8.29 with Tucker playing versus +0.51 with him on the bench, per PBP Stats. Playoff lineups with Tucker on them only gave up 107.5 points per 100 possessions according to Cleaning the Glass, a defensive rating in the 94th percentile. Even if he wasn’t scoring, Tucker managed to have a positive impact on every game he played in for the Bucks.
PJ Tucker did everything right here. Great offense just beats great defense pic.twitter.com/DMh1sgmJkG
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) June 6, 2021
Tucker’s shooting unlocked the Bucks offense
It’s tough to make this argument for someone who shot 32.2 percent from distance in the playoffs. But the stats prove this to be true: PJ’s presence was a net positive for the Bucks on offense as much as defense. His reputation as a knockdown shooter from the corners made all the difference for the Bucks offense, as his outward gravity pulled defenders away from defending the paint from the Greek Freak’s drives.
Consider this. In the playoffs, Tucker’s minutes on the floor saw the Bucks’ offensive rating actually rise by almost ten points—114.0 points per 100 vs 104.8—per NBA.com/stats. Albeit on low volume, it didn’t hurt that he shot the three-ball on 50.0% efficiency, either. His defenders respected his corner shot (perhaps undeservedly so), and that unlocked Milwaukee’s scoring.
Even when his shot wasn’t falling, PJ Tucker’s floor spacing proved invaluable to the Bucks offense in their championship run. Semi Ojeleye will have a ways to go before he establishes the same kind of reputation from beyond the three-point line.
A lot is made of PJ Tucker’s corner three shooting but he shoots a high percentage because he doesn’t waste possessions. Up 25 he could have easily shot this first one but he resets and ends up with a better look. Good basketball. pic.twitter.com/kETY1iTTbI
— Kane Pitman (@KanePitman) May 25, 2021
Veteran presence means veteran whistle
It’s an unspoken reality in the league that gets harder to ignore with every passing year. Established veterans command better officiating than bright-eyed rookies. One underrated aspect of PJ Tucker’s defense is the whistle he gets. Perhaps it’s a byproduct of his many years in the league. Maybe it’s the superstars who played alongside him over the years. Whatever it is, PJ Tucker is able to play as intensely and aggressively as he does because he can, for the most part, get away with it.
Look at equally endowed players like Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Ojeleye. Giannis’ older brother is just as, if not more unbridled on the defensive end of the floor. However, his inability to defend without fouling limits much of his defensive ability. And that’s why behind Tucker’s top dog command is a friendly whistle that favors his aggressive play.
Outside of defense, Tucker’s identity and demeanor in the locker room seemed to have a profound effect on what the Bucks were going for as a team. Perhaps the top dog himself said it best: “Man, we already got dogs. They just need to learn how to be dogs.”
Great on ball defense from PJ Tucker and great help defense from Khris Middleton! #NBA #NBAPlayoffs pic.twitter.com/cEEsxuW7ku
— JWAL Productions LLC (@JWALprod) June 20, 2021
Board man should get paid—even if it’s somewhere else
Perhaps the most underrated part of Tucker’s game was his relentless attack on the boards. It’s an established fact that the Bucks’ size was among the biggest reasons for their Finals win against the Phoenix Suns. With his size and energy, Tucker was a significant factor in that regard. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Bucks pulled down 28.3% of their misses when PJ was on the floor—good for the 72nd percentile in that stat.
Even the most cursory of glances at the box scores should confirm this. The Bucks won the offensive rebound battle against Phoenix with a total 79 offensive boards versus the Suns’ 42. Tucker had everything to do with Milwaukee’s 2nd-ranked 31.0 % offensive rebound percentage. As a result, these extra possessions led to 15.2 second-chance points per game for Milwaukee in the Finals.
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. From a basketball perspective, a player who adds to the decisive advantage that nets your team a Larry O’Brien trophy is worth any asking price. Hard stop.
PJ Tucker vs. three Hawks: Guess who wins the rebound battle? 💪 #ThatsGame #RepublikaNgNBA
🎥 @Bucks pic.twitter.com/qzkNOsd1wZ
— NBA Philippines (@NBA_Philippines) June 26, 2021
Tucker’s gone, but the Bucks are just fine
Maybe it doesn’t make much sense to outline all the ways we’ll miss Tucker only to double back and argue that we’ll be fine. But this is also the reality of things: the defending champions have the benefit of playing with a two-time MVP and Defensive Player of the Year. On the contrary, they’re very much in a good spot right now.
None of this is to say that Tucker is irreplaceable, only that he left sizable shoes to fill in the team’s defense and overall hustle mentality. If Milwaukee’s new acquisitions pan out on both ends of the floor, the Bucks will have no problem letting go of the 36-year-old Tucker.
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