Milwaukee Bucks Roundtable: Assessing the mixed start to the season
By Adam McGee
3. Whether starter or role player, which Buck has impressed you most in this opening stretch of the season?
RD: I think the most interesting player to watch in this opening stretch, although not extremely productive has been Brook Lopez, and to an extent Robin Lopez too. Against the Rockets, once Giannis had fouled out we saw the Bucks go to the Lopez brothers. Both have the ability to back defenders down in the post, something the Bucks missed as a team last season. It was really good to see Robin back down a player like Capela and pull out a hook shot that was nearly unstoppable. I think a post presence is going to really help the Bucks stretch the floor and really give the Bucks the ability to spread out beyond the arc and play a multi-dimensional game that opponents will struggle to defend. When the Robin Lopez signing was announced I wasn’t sure where he would fit in and how well he could play with his brother since they hadn’t played together in almost 11 years dating back to when they played together at Stanford University.
Another player I am excited about is Donte DiVincenzo. Since drafting DiVincenzo in 2018 we have only seen him in 30 games. Coming off an injury-prone season in his rookie year I expect to see good things out of The Big Ragu, I mean he was the NCAA Championship MVP in 2018 for Villanova. I think DiVincenzo will definitely be a player to watch for the Bucks this season.
JT: It’s been very encouraging to see both Sterling Brown and Donte DiVincenzo deliver impactful minutes as they did in the Bucks’ wins over the Orlando Magic and the Raptors. But I’m going to go with the team’s most consistent starter to start the season, that being Khris Middleton.
It’s natural to go to the clichés with Middleton as his game is, by nature, far from flashy. But I’ve been more than impressed to see him hit the ground running, which has historically been an issue for Middleton to start prior seasons. He hasn’t been without his struggles, as his performances against the Houston Rockets and Raptors showed, by the All-Star swingman has been incredibly comfortable scoring the ball from three and from mid-range and he’s even showed some flashy finishes at the basket. The Bucks still have plenty to iron out from their starting unit, but Middleton has given them some much needed stability through the first week-and-a-half into their season.
LB: Consider me a Korv-aholic! Any time Korver steps on the court with Giannis I immediately get on the edge of my seat. Any time Korver slides to the corner, Giannis can just sniff it out and gets him the ball. Any time Korver is a screener for Giannis, it’s going to be a wide open three for Kyle. I mean, we all knew the guy could shoot but are you kidding me with this! He’s hitting 50 percent of his three-point attempts thus far this season, and call me crazy but I don’t foresee him shooting much worse as the season rolls on. I just expect the ball to go in every time he shoots and you should too.
JC: Pat Connaughton has produced some really solid performances so far this season, but excuse his dud against the Miami Heat (0 points, 2 rebounds, 1 assist in 13 minutes). In two of the games, Rockets and Cavs, Connaughton was a catalyst in getting those victories. He kept the Bucks afloat in the first half against the Rockets, and had that incredible stretch where he was making everything that left his hand against the Cavs. His averages this season are 7.4 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.8 assists which are all higher than his career averages. Connaughton was a key bench player for the Bucks last season, even in the playoffs, and he seems to be on pace with that role again this year.
DL: Even though he hasn’t gotten much of a chance to play until the past two games, Sterling Brown has been fantastic.
He’s brought some amazing energy on to the floor when called upon. He has flashed some exciting skills on the offensive-end, both in his ability to get to the basket and spot-up. He’s also been solid on the defensive end, where he’s helped disrupt opposing teams possessions, and played some great one-on-one defense.
With Malcolm Brogdon gone, the Bucks need someone to fill the void left by his absence. Brown’s early season performances suggest he may be the best person to fill that role moving forward.
AM: I wrote about him on Sunday but, for me, it’s George Hill. I think he’s been the most consistent of all Bucks players so far, and his particular contributions are really essential to everything that the team does, and overcoming many of the issues they face.