Milwaukee Bucks: 3 players already on Mike Budenholzer’s good side
By Dalton Sell
3 players already on Mike Budenholzer’s good side – Bobby Portis
Another high energy player, Bobby Portis has also made his impact felt early for the Bucks. Budenholzer has featured the 25-year-old heavily in the rotation as the team’s sixth man, and he continues to see quality minutes with each passing night.
Eight games into the season, Portis is logging 23.5 minutes per game off the bench, which is just a tick over starting center Brook Lopez, who is averaging 23.4 minutes per contests. In that span, he is averaging 11.4 points on .552/.389/.833 shooting splits, 8.0 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game.
Aside from the statistical impact, what makes Portis such a valuable part of Budenholzer’s rotation is the versatility that he provides. Embracing the opportunity to play either position in the frontcourt, the big man gives the Bucks a sizeable presence on the floor when Giannis Antetokounmpo or Brook Lopez are on the sidelines.
The one shortcoming that has stuck with Portis early on is his defensive abilities. The five-year veteran has never been an upstanding defender, but many believed playing on a team with a foundation built on defense would help him grow. One such believer is Budenholzer himself, who made some comments to the media about the forward’s defense after Monday’s victory over the Detroit Pistons:
"“I think we’re excited about what he can do and I think us learning him better, trying to help him defensively be the best that he can be. I think Bobby has been really great to work with and is focused on being a good team defender, a good individual defender, and understanding what we want to do conceptually. He’s just going to get better and better as he gets more comfortable with us defensively.”"
Hopefully, Budenholzer is correct that Portis will continue to mesh defensively as the season progresses. The 6’10” big man will see plenty of action with the Bucks this season, and he has all of the physical attributes to be a solid all-around defender if he puts his mind to it.
Along with what he brings to the table offensively, Bobby Portis seems to be a favorite for Budenholzer early.