Milwaukee Bucks: Takeaways From Loss to Utah Jazz
By Reid Mueller
Thon’s Energy
Thon Maker started for the second consecutive game. He logged a career high 24 minutes, recording 12 points, five rebounds, one steal, and three blocks. The rookie is just getting his feet wet against this level of competition.
When he’s on the floor, he’s trying to prove himself. He sprints up and down the floor on every possession. The 19-year-old fights for every rebound, even though he’s usually going up against someone much stronger than him. He may not be able to grab the ball, but he makes the effort to tip it to a teammate.
On the defensive end, he tries to contest everything, which isn’t uncommon for a rookie. It can be a mix of trying to make a difference, and not having the experience to pick your spots. It’s not always a good thing, but with the depth the team has at center, he’s allowed to make mistakes.
The team was failing to produce a lot of energy in the fourth quarter, when Thon hit three pick-and-pop threes in a row to cut the lead down to 15. The rookie has the power to step into the game and provide the team with energy, that may become more and more important as time goes on.
Next: Milwaukee Bucks: Player of the Week (Jan 22 – 28)
The Bucks pick it up again Friday night in Denver, with tip at 8pm CT.