Milwaukee Bucks: What’s trending in the third week of the season

The Milwaukee Bucks’ bench mob has been a rising trend.

I could have included this in last week’s article, but the Bucks’ bench mob has grown in its stature, especially after this last week.

While the Bucks have battled through absences to their depth with players like Pat Connaughton and Torrey Craig, Budenholzer has had a revolving door of options to turn through to make up for it in the interim.

Thanasis Antetokounmpo has stepped in and given the Bucks a jolt of energy and athleticism as he hunts down boards and guarded perimeter players with enthusiasm. Bryn Forbes has shown that off-ball shooting that the Bucks need and his aforementioned chemistry with Antetokounmpo has been building steadily.

Even Bucks rookie forward Jordan Nwora has gotten some limited minutes in the rotation with Connaughton having missed three games and has shown his effortless shooting stroke regularly as he’s 7-for-13 from three (53.8 percent) in his first seven NBA games.

Veteran point guard D.J. Augustin has been very up and down in his first handful of games in a Buck uniform and it’s clear he’s still trying to find his rhythm with his new teammates and even in the Bucks’ system.

No bench contributor, though, has been as productive as Bobby Portis, who’s averaging 11 points on .542/.400/.800 shooting splits, along with 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists. Portis has given the Bucks a proven scorer in their frontcourt depth and his proclivity to crash the glass and extend offensive possessions has increased the Bucks’ proclivity to crash the offensive boards to start this season.