Brandon Knight slowed his dribble after breaking the timeline at the BMO Harris Bradley Center, and then tossed the ball to Zaza Pachulia into the high post on the right side of the free throw line. Knight, at 6-foot, 3-inches, broke out to the wing to screen for the 6-7 Chris Dudley, who curled around undefended into the paint. Pachulia led him too much, however, and the ball bounded out of bounds.

Later, the play worked to perfection when guard Jerryd Bayless began the half court set by feeding the 6-11 John Henson at the top of the left free throw line extended, ran down to the wing to screen for Dudley, and Henson hit a cutting Dudley for a layup.

This is "the process" in motion, development in real life. It was all evident Tuesday night in the Bucks’ 117-113 victory over the New York Knicks Tuesday night. The good, and the bad.
Bucks head coach Jason Kidd and assistant Joe Prunty have installed an offense built around ball sharing and their big men, some of whom come experienced and equipped to start a half court set, some of whom who are not.

Kidd has said from the start of training camp that his systems are about the players, about putting them in a position to succeed. To that end, he and his staff felt this offense could work with this group.

"We believe they’re playmakers," Kidd said of his big men. "They’re the quarterback on the offensive end. Then when you look the defensive end, they’re the anchor. Being able to talk, communicate on pick and roll coverage and also being able to support if someone gets beat, to meet them at the rim. Yes, it fits. Our bigs are capable of doing that."

Like when 6-8 rookie Jabari Parker drove left, angling baseline to the rim, Pachulia trailed through the middle of the paint, like two wide receivers running crossing patterns at different depths. Parker drew the defensive interest and dumped to an open Pachulia, who drew a foul and hit two free throws to put the Bucks up, 55-47.

The big men were told they would have an important role in the offense, and that has come to fruition.

Larry Sanders looks to recapture old form. (Link)

"It’s huge," Pachulia said of the big man’s importance in the offense. "You have the ball and you have to find the cutters, you have to find the open man. It’s great. You feel involved offensively. Obviously, defensively, nothing’s changed. Big men always sees everything and talk as much possible to make sure the guards and their teammate are in the right position and controls everything."

But, with a new offense and new players, there will be the inevitable ebbs and flows when it comes to their effectiveness within the system, and thus, the virility of the offense as a whole.

The Bucks entered Tuesday night’s game third to last in the NBA scoring at 91.8 points per game, shooting just 43.8 percent from the floor. But they’ve looked remarkable at times, too, like the opening three quarters of the season opener in Charlotte, the first quarter in Orlando or the second half in Miami.

"It’s really a two-big, high set, where you have a lot of back door screens on the baseline and we’re kind of struggling at times with it because obviously we’re not scoring, but our defense has kept us in it," said Dudley, eight-year veteran, of the read-oriented system.

"I think we still struggle with that," Dudley said. "I don’t think anyone’s confident – I think the only person that’s really been confident out there has been Zaza. He’s the one making the back door (passes). To be honest with you, I just think that we’ve made enough shots but our defense has carried us. We’ve been able to get out in transition, make easy buckets, and attack the basket. We do spurts. We’ve had turnovers. Our late execution has been kind of poor. But it’s a process. You have seen signs of it turning the corner, then we take two steps back. That always happens with a young team though."

Yet, they are already a more than third of the way to last season’s win total because as Dudley said, the Bucks’ transition game and defense has been good.

Milwaukee entered the game Tuesday night at the as the fourth-best scoring defense in the NBA, allowing 92.6 points per game. They were also limiting opponents to just 41.8 percent shooting from the floor, good for third best in the league.

"Offense is one of those things where it takes a little more time to get right, but I think our best offense is playing good defense, and just getting stops, running out in transition, things we can get to quick, without even setting up, is very valuable for us," center Larry Sanders said.

"But, when we do have to set up and run plays, the bigs are very involved. Coach has us very involved. He trusts our decision making and he trusts that we’re willing passers and willing to make the right plays and he puts in position to (make them)."

Kidd acknowledged the offense remains a work in progress, but said the fact that each of his bigs are willing to do it is just as important as actually doing it at this point in the young season.

But for the players, buying in was only natural.

"It was always my dream to play with him on the same team because looking at other bigs, whoever he had on the team, doesn’t matter, they enjoyed playing and getting great numbers, great looks, and most importantly getting easy looks," Pachulia said. "How that happen, right? You always wonder and you always want to be part of it and learn."

"I love it, man," Henson said. "We may only get four points, six or seven rebounds, a couple blocks, we may not get as many shots, but, we’re involved. You’re setting screens, catching it at the elbow, trying to find guys. That’s all you really want as a big day is touches. Everything else will take care of itself."

And, because of that, Kidd is seeing steps forward.

"It’s good to be willing on both ends, on offense and defense, because defense is hard and offense is hard," the coach said. "The easy thing is to be an ‘iso’ team and just move out of the way. But to be able to sacrifice and trust that once I give the ball up I still have the opportunity to maybe get it back (is important)."

Kidd highlighted some plays in the half court in the Bucks’ victory over Miami on Sunday, and added "those are the little things, being able to sacrifice yourself. Again, everybody is still trying to learn spots, where they can get shots. Hopefully it doesn’t take until January. If it does, I’m fine with that process."

While the team admits the offense is a work in progress, the players know that big – pun intended – things are on the horizon.

"I think it can be good," Dudley said, believing that once "Guys get familiar with it; where guys kind of know exactly the positions where it is (to run it from), I think you’ll see it take off."

Sanders added, "I’ll say it’s an offense that is going to take a little bit longer for everyone to get right and gel and know and trust to really make that right play.

"But once it clicks it’s really going to be poetry in motion. Everyone is going to be really involved and be able to benefit from it."

Like at the end of the first quarter against the Knicks.

There was a pretty give and go between Dudley and Henson at the high post on the left side of the free throw line. The two played hot potato for a moment, screened off one another, before finally Henson cut down the lane, caught a short pass and a thunderous dunk.

"That’s how it is, man," Henson said. "That’s the beauty of this offense."

John Henson https://t.co/MK67YYOq6m — K L Chouinard (@AnaheimAmigos) November 19, 2014