3 Improvements that helped Milwaukee Bucks mount a Championship run in the 2020-21 NBA Season

In the 2019-20 season, despite having a much better record (56-17) and clinching the top seed in the East, the Milwaukee Bucks crashed out in the East semis. The franchise was closer to being labeled 'playoff busts' than they were to winning a championship.

Fast forward to less than a year from that point and Giannis Antetokounmpo has secured his first NBA ring. The Giannis-led Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks and Phoenix Suns, on their way to winning the franchise's first NBA title in 50 years.

17-19 from the line in Game 6.. show off that free-throw routine, Giannis! 😂🏆2021 Milwaukee Bucks Championship Parade on NBA TV: https://t.co/YuGpAi3U4m pic.twitter.com/BL414mFshE

— NBA (@NBA) July 22, 2021

So it makes sense to wonder as to what were the adjustments or outright improvements that they may have made, which resulted in such a gigantic upside. Like it or not, the Milwaukee Bucks are the home-grown NBA champions who cultivated and infused a winning culture on their own soil.

Neither did Giannis join a superteam nor did the Bucks sign a line of All-Star starters to get over the hump. It was all done through tactical lineup rotations and critical tweaks to their halfcourt sets.

Let's dive deep and dissect the three key areas where the Milwaukee Bucks improved in the 2010-21 NBA season, which led them to an illustrious title run.

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#1 The Milwaukee Bucks' playmaking abilities saw an exponential rise.

Atlanta Hawks v Milwaukee Bucks - Game Two

Swapping Eric Bledsoe for Jrue Holiday might be the most effective by the Milwaukee Bucks front office since Giannis' draft. Jrue has now accomplished more in a single season with the Bucks than he did after seven seasons with the Pelicans and three with the Sixers.

Playing with shooting guards in Donte DiVincenzo and Bryn Forbes, Holiday had to carry most of the playmaking burden in Milwaukee's backcourt. With Jeff Teague seeing a decrease in minutes in Coach Bud's rotations, Holiday made sure he held the fort.

Jrue Holiday’s playmaking ability has added an extra element to the Bucks’ potent offense! #NBABreakdownBUCKS/HAWKS - Tonight at 7:30pm/et on TNT pic.twitter.com/NfSbKjcB1b

— NBA (@NBA) April 15, 2021

The Milwaukee Bucks made the most field goal attempts last season, were third-best in field goal shooting percentages and their leading point guard was averaging a career-low in turnovers (2.2). The team's collective turnover numbers were down 10% and the perimeter shooting was top five in the league.

This is naturally the culmination of reliable ball handling by Middleton and Holiday. In the playoffs, when Khris was dishing out over five dimes per game, Jrue stepped up his assist numbers to 8.7 on average.

#2 The Milwaukee Bucks improved their collective free-throw shooting led by Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The Bucks have always struggled to knock it down from the charity stripe.

Even though the Milwaukee Bucks shot 76% from the free-throw line as a team, which was the amongst the worst in the league during the regular season, they made sure to knock them down when it mattered most. Giannis went 15-17 from the free-throw line in Game 6 of the NBA Finals.

The free-throw disparity was even more glaring in home and away games. It makes sense when the crowd is hell bent on counting every second of Giannis' existence on the line.

Free-shooting was an even bigger concern than realized at first, as the Milwaukee Bucks got fouled an average 18.3 times per game.

It’s @Giannis_An34 Giannis Antetokounmpo working on his free throws as the @Bucks begin a six game home stretch in 11 days #Bucks pic.twitter.com/9Yq8W9pVh9

— Lance Allan (@lanceallan) November 13, 2018

While Holiday and Middleton continued their free-throw prowess throughout the year, the Greek Freak - who got the lion's share of FT attempts - made gradual tweaks to knock them down at a respectable clip as well.

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#3 The champs clamped down on ball handlers and also elevated their fastbreak defensive intensity.

The Bucks were down 0-2 in the Finals before they won four consecutive.

Chris Paul is a master at handling offenses and running the best play at each possession. From games 2 to 4, the 'Point God' had 15 turnovers, which is by far the most he has ever had in a playoff series since 2012.

Not only did Jrue Holiday hound the 35-year-old from mid-court, but the Milwaukee Bucks' help defense was at lock-step with everyone on the floor at all times. Throwing the hustle of PJ Tucker on the opponent's guards wore them down heavily.

It was only fitting that the highlight play which was the exclamation mark of the Suns-Bucks Finals, was initiated by a picture-perfect steal from Jrue Holiday on Chris Paul, ending in an alley-oop dunk by the Freak.

The game-clinching steal in Game 5... Jrue Holiday's HUSTLE and DEFENSE has been on display all postseason long! Don't miss PHX/MIL Game 6 tonight at 9pm/et on ABC pic.twitter.com/NzGGii20PI

— NBA (@NBA) July 20, 2021

Plays like these underlined the Milwaukee Bucks' increased intensity on defense, with the ability to not foul in clutch situations. The infectious precision to strip the ball from the league's best playmakers is an art that requires more of intuition than quickness.