Milwaukee Bucks: 3 reasons Bobby Portis has fit seamlessly in Milwaukee

It certainly did not take long for big man Bobby Portis to reach fan-favorite status during his short time with the Milwaukee Bucks thus far.

Portis signed with the Bucks in free agency on a two-year, $7.2 million deal, and he had big shoes to fill. The 25-year-old was stepping into a frontcourt that had lost both Marvin Williams and Ersan Ilyasova that offseason, two veterans that were key contributors on last year’s Milwaukee squad.

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Throughout 20 games this season, it is safe to say that Portis has fit like a glove with the Bucks in that backup power forward role. He has been one of Milwaukee’s better reserves this year, and there are several reasons behind that.

Without further ado, here are three reasons why Bobby Portis has been a phenomenal fit with the Milwaukee Bucks from the jump this season.

Reason No.3 Bobby Portis has fit seamlessly with Milwaukee Bucks – Joining a winning culture

Bobby Portis made it clear that when he signed with the Bucks this past offseason that it was because he wanted to join a winning culture. Of course, the Bucks have boasted the best regular season record in consecutive seasons, and as he detailed during his first media availability, the big man was drawn in by their success:

"“I just wanted to be a part of winning. I’m going into my sixth year in the NBA now and I’ve been on a couple of winning teams, but it’s been up and down the whole time. Having the opportunity being on a winning team and a winning culture was big for me.”"

As Portis alluded to, he has not seen much action beyond the regular season in his six years in the NBA, playing in just six total postseason games, all of which came in 2016-17. His free agency came down to wanting to win and joining an organization that would put him in the best place to do that. As he detailed in a recent Twitter exchange, he believed Milwaukee was that destination.

Although it is still early, playing in this environment with this cast around him has certainly helped elevate his game. Playing alongside the likes of two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, and being coached by the award-winning Mike Budenholzer has undoubtedly helped turn his game up a notch.

Reason No.2 Bobby Portis has fit seamlessly with Milwaukee Bucks – His energy and effort

When Bobby Portis checks into the game, there is no question that he will leave everything he has out on the court. Whether it comes after an emphatic dunk, a big 3-point shot, or anything else, Portis is not afraid to let his emotions out, and that has been on full display early with the Bucks.

Although Portis has been great in the bigger picture, he has had his share of subpar outings this season. On the team’s recent two-game skid on the road against the New Orleans Pelicans and Charlotte Hornets, the forward’s contributions were minimal. He was not producing up to par and bringing that typical energy that fans have gotten so quickly accustomed to seeing.

Fueled by that two-game losing streak, Portis came out with a chip on his shoulder in Monday night’s matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers fired up. Portis put together arguably his best performance of the season, tallying 21 points on 9-of-13 shooting (3-of-5 from deep), eight rebounds, and two steals in 24 minutes of action.

Postgame, Bobby talked about how rejuvenated the team looked in that game compared to their last two losses and how energy played into it as relayed by ESPN’s Eric Woodyard:

"“We didn’t bring an edge, didn’t bring a swag to the games on Friday and Saturday and had two stinkers,” Bucks forward Bobby Portis admitted. “They made a lot of shots. I think tonight we played with swag, played with grit, played with fire and I think that’s kind of contagious through the whole team.”"

When Bobby Portis is on the floor, the energy certainly feels widespread among the other Bucks. Bobby’s most distinct characteristic is the highly intense tenacity that he possesses, and he is backing it up with production on the court.

Reason No.1 Bobby Portis has fit seamlessly with Milwaukee Bucks – His production

The Bucks brought in several new pieces to fill out the bench this offseason, but none have made as sizeable an impact as Bobby Portis.

Serving as the team’s sixth man, Portis has averaged 11.2 points on .560/.463/69.6 shooting splits, 7.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 21.9 minutes per game. The big man has been incredibly efficient scoring the ball, averaging career-bests in field goal and 3-point percentage. Although his fewer shot attempts have played into that, there is no doubt that Portis has proven himself to be a legitimate scorer.

However, Portis, much like the other reserves on Milwaukee’s bench, has had his issues staying consistent offensively. To put it simply, the Bucks are 10-3 when Portis scores in double figures and 2-5 when he does not. While Portis is not the sole factor in these wins and losses, there is no questioning that his contributions have been felt in every game this year.

With his production and intensive energy on full display early, it has not taken long for Bobby Portis to find his niche with the Bucks. As he said himself, this is the first time in his career playing for a top-tier contender, and he has embraced the opportunity to the fullest.

Hopefully, this is just the beginning of something special brewing for Portis and the Bucks as they pursue that NBA championship.