MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - OCTOBER 20: MarJon Beauchamp #3 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after hitting a ... [+]
Damian Lillard was spectacular in his Milwaukee Bucks’ debut, putting up 39 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, including some of his patented Dame Time clutch scoring. There’s no denying his brilliance in leading his team to a 118-117 season-opening victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. However, it was second-year pro MarJon Beauchamp who caught my eye in the second quarter.
The Bucks and 76ers exchanged haymakers throughout the game, with Milwaukee often threatening to deliver a knockout blow. They were up by 10 points with 2:50 remaining in the first quarter and seemingly in control. That was before Tyrese Maxey took over.
The budding star single-handedly willed his team back into the game. He didn’t make his first bucket until there was 1:20 remaining in the first quarter, but it opened the flood gates. He caught a pass in the left corner, blew by a poor closeout attempt from Giannis Antetokounmpo, slithered his way into the paint and finished a floater through contract from Pat Connaughton.
With the 76ers trailing by seven points heading into the second quarter, he took it upon himself to narrow that deficit. Philly called his number to open the period, as he received a pass at the top of the key with Paul Reed setting a high ball screen on his man. He turned the corner in a blur, drove toward the right side of the basket and finished the bucket with a floater plus the foul (he missed the free throw).
One minute later, Bobby Portis missed a 10-footer, PJ Tucker grabbed the board and tossed it to Maxey. Maxey flew up the court, attacked a lane full of three Bucks’ defenders and drew another shooting foul. This time he made his free throws.
He took it up yet another notch on the very next possession. Matched up with Lillard on a switch, he iso’d near the right wing. He retreated for a dribble before pushing hard with his right hand, crossing back to his left, and hitting a step-back three with Lillard weakly contesting. When the flurry was complete, he poured in the first seven points for his team in the second quarter and brought them within four points with the momentum leaning in their direction.
Beauchamp entered right before the step-back three, but switched off Maxey due to the Bucks’ defensive scheme. He made sure to match up with the hot hand moving forward.
One possession after a missed elbow jumper from Maxey, Beauchamp hounded him as soon as he crossed halfcourt. The 76ers guard tried to rise from the left corner to receive a dribble handoff from Reed, but Beauchamp didn’t allow it. That forced the guard to switch gears and work harder to receive a simple pass.
Beauchamp then spread out his long arms to funnel Maxey into Portis, his help waiting on the left wing. Beauchamp and Portis forced the ball to be swung elsewhere, as they had cut off all scoring opportunities. With the shot clock winding down as the possession continued, the 76ers got off a contested three with time expiring.
The good defense continued a few minutes later as the Bucks’ offense surged on the other end. As Maxey dribbled across halfcourt, Beauchamp lay in wait, deep in his stance and with his wingspan once again on display. Maxey tried a weak right-to-left cross to shake his defender before coming back to his right for another high ball screen. Beauchamp was there every step of the way, forcing his man to get rid of the ball.
The final example showed the pros and cons of Beauchamp’s game. Maxey brought the ball across the left side of halfcourt and was orchestrating the offensive set his team wanted to run. He threw a jump pass to Joel Embiid at the top of the key before retreating to the left elbow. Beauchamp bothered him every step of the way, forcing him to work to set a simple pick on Embiid’s man before popping to the right wing area for the pass.
Beauchamp squared him up before getting caught on an Embiid screen. He struggled with that during his rookie season, often being unable to fight through them in a timely manner. This play resulted in an open pull-up three by Maxey that he air-balled badly.
The extra strength Beauchamp added in the weight room in the offseason will help him navigate screens better moving forward. If he wants to be a good defender, he’ll need to avoid getting caught up on simple picks.
When the run was all said and done, and Beauchamp headed back to the bench at the 4:16 mark, Milwaukee had turned a four-point lead into an 18-point one. Lillard certainly did the heavy lifting on the offensive end, but a run can’t be made unless there are stops.
Beauchamp wasn’t perfect defensively, but there was plenty to like. He never returned to defending Maxey full time in this game and the guard finished with a team-high 31 points on 10-of-22 shooting.
Malik Beasley wasn’t nearly effective as Maxey’s primary defender and if the Bucks want to reach their full potential, they’ll need one of those two to rise to the occasion. At least on the first night, it looks like Beauchamp has taken the sometimes mythical second-year leap and is ready to contribute defensively.
