Milwaukee Bucks: 3 trends to watch for in rematch versus Brooklyn Nets

Searching for signs of life in the Milwaukee Bucks’ supporting cast

As we danced around earlier, the Nets’ defensive strategy has put the onus on the Bucks’ Big 3 of Antetokounmpo, Middleton and Jrue Holiday to do the lion’s share of the team’s scoring. Those three accounted for 93 of the Bucks’ 117 total points Sunday, which certainly does the trick.

While that may be so, the Bucks have wrestled with the fact that their top-heavy roster will need help, especially when either one of Antetokounmpo, Holiday and Middleton are off their game. And as we saw Sunday, the Bucks will need any and all contributions they can get from their supporting cast.

Bucks players not named Antetokounmpo, Holiday or Middleton combined to score 24 points collectively, with Bryn Forbes being the lone player to finish in double figures. The most concerning number is that it came on 25 shots and Forbes as well as Brook Lopez were among the more willing shooters the Bucks needed to alleviate the massive burden on the shoulders of the Bucks’ ‘Big 3.’

When the Bucks first met against the Nets this season, their supporting cast combined to score  42 points on 43 shots. Obviously a lot has changed since then in regards to the Bucks’ personnel and not having Bobby Portis Sunday afternoon loomed large in regards to the team’s depth performance.

No one will dispute the results from the Bucks’ head of the snake, considering the performances of Antetokounmpo and Middleton, in particular. But having willing players step up when scoring opportunities present themselves is the big question facing the Bucks’ depth as far as being able to lighten the load for their top three stars.

We’ll see what will continue to emerge from the Bucks’ matchups with the Brooklyn Nets when their season series concludes Tuesday night at Fiserv Forum. You can catch the action on both TNT and Bally Sports Wisconsin when the game tips off at 6:30 P.M. CST.