Milwaukee Bucks: Matthew Dellavedova shows signs of his old self

As the Milwaukee Bucks started the season with a great win against the Boston Celtics, Matthew Dellavedova showed signs of his old self.

Giannis Antetokounmpo stole the headlines in the Milwaukee Bucks’ season opener, as he put up 37 points, 13 rebounds, three assists and three blocks while leading his team to a 108-100 win over the Boston Celtics. The fact is Giannis is a superstar, though, and even that kind of performance is now somewhat expected of him.

As a result, much of the conversation about the Bucks throughout the summer focused on who was going to step up to help Giannis and Khris Middleton, considering Jabari Parker‘s absence.

Without their injured forward, there isn’t an obvious third scoring option on the team, and for many that’s been the biggest problem in buying into the Bucks as a potential Eastern Conference contender.

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In reality, although the Bucks don’t have a third or even fourth player who they’ll be able to consistently rely on from night to night, they do have four or five players who could step into that role in bursts.

The third option by committee approach will require dominant second unit runs from Greg Monroe, Rookie of the Year style showings from Malcolm Brogdon, Tony Snell getting hot from deep, Mirza Teletovic‘s flamethrower offense off the bench, and Matthew Dellavedova at his gritty best.

On Wednesday against Boston, Brogdon and Monroe held up their end of that bargain, but perhaps more importantly, so did Dellavedova.

Brogdon and Monroe offering positive contributions was a staple for the Bucks last year, but Dellavedova was certainly underwhelming in his first season in Milwaukee. After a summer of rest and working on his game following multiple years of playing late into the playoffs with Cleveland and then suiting up for the Australian national team, the hope is that a fresher Dellavedova will provide more positive results in 2017-18.

Although his performance in the Celtics game was by no means perfect — Dellavedova shot 4-10 from the field and managed only one assist which was canceled out by a turnover — it did at least show him embrace elements of his game that had initially led to his rise in Cleveland.

Dellavedova’s 15-point scoring output included a mix of floaters, three-pointers and free throws, most notably the three-point dagger that essentially sealed the win for the Bucks late on.

Aside from the more obvious and tangible box score contributions, Dellavedova was also thriving in the role of irritant that made him so valuable for the Cavaliers, and was somewhat absent in his first season as a Buck.

The Australian’s reputation didn’t take any hits during that time, though, as was best illustrated by Dwane Casey’s near obsession with his screens during last year’s playoff series.

Dellavedova gave the Celtics a taste of his hard screens on opening night, resulting in an ongoing tussle between him and Boston guard Marcus Smart throughout the game. Smart holds a place alongside Dellavedova in the ranks of the NBA’s most prolific agitators, yet the difference in their demeanor in-game is significant.

Having been floored by a hard screen by Dellavedova, Smart took objection, leading the two to square up.

When the ball came down the other end and Smart went to return the favor, Dellavedova was wise to it, leaning in and sending Smart to the hardwood again.

https://twitter.com/brewhoop/status/920805486164709376

With more of a frenzied coming together leading to teammates piling in, the referees took their time to review the play. Ultimately, a foul was assessed on Dellavedova, but it was only Smart who received a technical foul.

The Bucks guard stepped up to the line to drain the technical free throw as a chorus of boos rang around the TD Garden. Throughout it all, he was the picture of calm, just as he was when he found himself at the free throw closing out the game over the final 60 seconds.

Dellavedova has an unerring knack for getting in opponent’s minds, creating uncertainty and generally causing a distraction. While all of those around him often lose their heads as a result, Dellavedova essentially always remains composed. It may border on the cynical, but it’s also incredibly clever.

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As a result, the Bucks have a valuable psychological weapon in Dellavedova. Now he just needs to continue going 2-4 from behind the arc to allow them the confidence to turn to him more often.