Milwaukee Bucks: 3 players angling towards big roles in the postseason

After collapsing in each of the past two postseasons, the Milwaukee Bucks are undoubtedly looking to right the ship this time around.

Management has spent significantly to form their most talented roster in the Mike Budenholzer era and they are right there among the premier contenders in the league. If the Bucks will rewrite the playoff narrative that currently hangs over them, minutes distribution among the players will be a key factor.

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Particularly last season, Budenholzer drew substantial criticism for a handful of questionable calls when it came to handling minutes in the playoffs among his best players.

It will be interesting to see if he has learned from his mistakes, particularly as a report surfaced from The Athletic earlier this week stating that his job could be on the line unless the team has a deep playoff run ahead.

It goes without saying that a majority of the minutes will go to Milwaukee’s leading trio of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, and Khris Middleton. Brook Lopez and Donte DiVincenzo will also see important minutes, but it will be the role players that will be the most interesting factor.

With that being said, here are three rotational pieces that have likely earned themselves more minutes in the postseason.

Bryn Forbes will receive steady playoff minutes for the Milwaukee Bucks

When it comes to how well Bryn Forbes has fit in with the Bucks this season, there are two sides to the coin.

The first involves how fantastic he has been at spacing the floor by knocking down a career-best 44.5 percent of his shots from long range. Forbes has provided an electric spark off the bench offensively all season long with his sharpshooting, which quickly transformed him into the perfect complementary piece for Giannis Antetokounmpo.

The other side deals with his nonexistent presence on the defensive end. Forbes has never been the most upstanding defender, to put it lightly. When he is on the floor for the Bucks defensively, opposing offensive players tend to target him because they believe an advantage will always tip in their favor. That lackluster presence on the defensive end will make it a gamble to have Forbes on the floor in crucial moments, particularly if the Bucks meet up with a team like the Brooklyn Nets that have an all-world guard duo.

However, that scoring prowess might make the gamble worth it, particularly if he can sustain his recent momentum. Forbes has been on a tear throughout Milwaukee’s last six contests by averaging 15.8 points while shooting 57.1 percent from the floor and 54.1 percent from range. His ability to knock down shots, particularly from the perimeter, helps fill a much-needed hole for the Bucks, and they may have to live with the consequences of his play on defense.