Milwaukee Bucks: 3 players that must step up with Bobby Portis sidelined
By Dalton Sell
Thanasis Antetokounmpo must step up for the Milwaukee Bucks
Seeing a more prominent role than ever before, Thanais Antetokounmpo has already logged more minutes this season than in the previous two combined.
The 28-year-old has carved out a role for himself primarily by serving as a sparkplug in the second unit. Whether it be diving on a loose ball, fighting for a rebound, throwing down an emphatic dunk, or whatever else, Antetokounmpo knows how to provide a boost off the bench when the Bucks need one. With the frontcourt rotation thinned, the energizer is bound to see more minutes over the next few games.
While the Bucks will certainly not look for Antetokounmpo to replicate the scoring production of Portis, he can still contribute in other meaningful ways. Thanasis can make the most of his extended opportunity by playing defense, making the hustle players, occasionally scoring, taking care of the basketball, and of course, providing that spark that has become synonymous with his play.
In Milwaukee’s last two games without Portis in the lineup, Thanasis has certainly upped his production in an unexpected way. While the forward typically makes him impact off the stat sheet, he has been stuffing it in these past two outings, averaging 17.5 points, 7.5 rebounds, four assists, and a steal per game. While those numbers are bound to regress to some degree, the energizer has done his part to step up.