Milwaukee Bucks: Individual grades for starters after one month
By Dalton Sell
Milwaukee Bucks: Grading the starters after one month – Donte DiVincenzo
After initially being traded by the Bucks this offseason before the deal fell through, Donte DiVincenzo entered the season with a chip on his shoulder.
More motivated than ever, the third-year guard claimed his spot as the team’s starting shooting guard and started the season playing the best basketball of his career on both ends of the floor. However, he has been trapped in a shooting slump recently, unable to match the consistency he began the season with.
Despite his recent slip-ups, the guard is still putting up career numbers throughout 16 games. DiVincenzo is currently averaging 10.1 points on a .449/.429/.750 slash line, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 25.4 minutes per contest. The most impressing feat for the third-year guard has been his improved 3-point shooting, as he seemingly worked persistently this offseason to improve that aspect of his game.
Being promoted into the starting lineup has also given DiVincenzo a much bigger role on the defensive side of the ball. He has received far more challenging assignments each night, and he continues to show his potential as a top-tier defender in this league.
The biggest thing for DiVincenzo is trying to find consistency. It was his undoing last season in Milwaukee’s postseason debacle, and it has been on display early this year. If the guard can consistently knock down shots and take on top-tier opponents defensively, he will certainly boost this team’s contending chances.
At 23 years old, DiVincenzo is the second-youngest player on Milwaukee’s roster, and he has shown fearlessness as the young guy on a veteran team with title aspirations.