Milwaukee Bucks: Donte DiVincenzo could be postseason secret weapon

Milwaukee Bucks guard Donte DiVincenzo took a significant leap forward in his sophomore season and could be a major factor in the upcoming postseason.

After an injury-riddled rookie season in the 2018-19 campaign that saw him only play in 27 games, Donte DiVincenzo bounced back tremendously in 2019-20 for the Milwaukee Bucks. The guard received a much more prominent role in his second season, and it paid off as he averaged career-highs across the board.

Having started in 22 of his 59 games played this season, the 23-year-old averaged 9.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 23.1 minutes per game. DiVincenzo’s defense was much improved as well, as he averaged 1.4 steals per game, a team-high.

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Overall, DiVincenzo’s development this year was stellar and appeared to be heating up at the right time in March with the NBA Playoffs right around the corner. Having played only five games in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, DiVincenzo looked fantastic as he averaged 13.0 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. The guard was in a steady rhythm offensively, as he scored his 13.0 points per game on an efficient 53.3 percent field goal shooting and 37.5 percent from 3-point territory.

With the remainder of the NBA season in jeopardy, DiVincenzo and the Milwaukee Bucks may not be able to complete their quest for a title this year. However, if the season does resume, DiVincenzo could be a significant postseason factor in terms of their success.

In the Playoffs last season, the Bucks breezed through the first two rounds against the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics but ultimately ran into trouble versus the Toronto Raptors. Milwaukee faced several issues in this series, but the all-around lackluster performances were front and center.

Aside from the apparent struggles of Khris Middleton and Eric Bledsoe, who dropped off significantly, the Bucks struggled as a whole, which ultimately led to their defeat. DiVincenzo likely would not have been the savior in this series, but Milwaukee could have used a player like him tremendously because of his all-around play.

While that series is a thing of the past, the Bucks could have a significant advantage with him in this upcoming postseason, if it does indeed continue gaining traction to return. DiVincenzo provided a remarkable spark for the team all season and could potentially carry that over into the Playoffs.

DiVincenzo may be inexperienced in a postseason setting because he missed the entirety of the team’s run to the Eastern Conference Finals last season due to injury. However, if he could play as he did this season, the guard could contribute to the team’s championship aspirations in his second season.

A guy like DiVincenzo could provide another player to contribute in the postseason on both sides of the floor at a high level. With his offense continuously having improved as the season progressed along with his top-tier defense, the Bucks would have another versatile option to throw at opposing teams in the Playoffs.

Most importantly, the most significant question mark in this upcoming postseason would be the play of Eric Bledsoe. The guard has underperformed in the past pair of postseasons, and although George Hill stepped up immensely last year at the guard position, it was still not enough in the end. DiVincenzo would provide the team with another valuable player at the guard position who can score at a considerable level and contribute on the defensive end as well.

While only time will tell, Donte DiVincenzo could be a significant factor in the upcoming postseason if play indeed resumes. His high-intensity play on both ends of the court contributed to the team’s success all season long and could be just as prevalent in a postseason scenario.