With just three regular season games left to play, the Milwaukee Bucks are trying to build up momentum in preparation for the playoffs.
They had been doing a fine job with that with a five-game winning streak up until it was shattered in a recent 146-125 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. While that loss stings, particularly as it hindered Milwaukee’s chances of making a run at the second seed in the Eastern Conference, this team feels good about where they are at right now.
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Not only are they 6-1 in their last seven games, but they have started looking more cohesive as an overall unit as the playoffs draw closer.
With the overall chemistry looking better than ever, everyone on this roster is seemingly playing with a heightened sense of confidence over the course of this recent stretch. With all of their rotational pieces healthy, this team has been finding its footing as of late, with a select few players leading the charge.
With just three games until Milwaukee aims to avenge their latest postseason debacle, here are three players that are heating up at the perfect time.
Jrue Holiday has been catching fire at the right time for the Milwaukee Bucks
Although Jrue Holiday has been fantastic throughout the entire season, he has undoubtedly increased his production further lately.
Holiday has been on a scoring tear over his last six games by averaging 20.8 points while shooting 48.4 percent from the field and 45 percent from long range. Whether it comes near the rim, in the mid-range or behind the arc, the guard has taken a more aggressive approach in scoring the basketball and he is doing it with incredible efficiency.
More opportunities with the ball have also provided the guard to take on that floor general role as he has dished out six assists per contest in this span. Holiday’s playmaking prowess has been on full display throughout this stretch, which will be pivotal heading into the postseason as he can assume more ball handling duties from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton.
The Bucks traded for the guard last offseason because they believed he could help form a lethal trio capable of making a strong push to the NBA Finals. How much of an impact Holiday can legitimately have in the postseason for the Bucks will be answered in the coming weeks, but he is certainly providing optimism as of late.
Brook Lopez has been catching fire at the right time for the Milwaukee Bucks
Although Brook Lopez is currently enjoying one of the most efficient seasons of his career, the big man has been subject to justifiable criticism throughout the year.
However, he has been fantastic over his past four games by averaging 16 points on 56.4 percent shooting from the floor. Lopez has done a bulk of his scoring damage from inside the arc as he is shooting just 4-for-13 (30.8 percent) from 3-point territory in this stretch. While the floor spacing that he brings to the table is crucial when playing next to Antetokounmpo, seeing him get to the rim and knock down his shots is a welcoming sign when that outside shot will not fall.
Lopez has also done a fine job protecting the rim on the opposite side of the floor by tallying 1.5 blocks per game over his last four appearances. His defense has been an underrated part of the team’s success over the past three seasons, although it will be interesting to see how head coach Mike Budenholzer utilizes Lopez once the postseason rolls around.
The additions of Bobby Portis and P.J. Tucker to the frontcourt have made Lopez expendable in the rotation in various scenarios. Although having that much versatility to pick and choose from is not a bad problem to have, this recent surge from Lopez would be a massive boost for the Bucks heading into the playoffs. It would be a sizeable spark if the big man could just find some sustainability with his outside shooting within these final three games on the schedule.
Donte DiVincenzo has been catching fire at the right time for the Milwaukee Bucks
There have unquestionably been some growing pains for Donte DiVincenzo in his third season with the Bucks.
The full-time starter has struggled mightily to find any consistency, struggling most nights to find a rhythm on the offensive end. However, he can also flip the switch in the blink of an eye, which he has done lately by averaging 15.6 points throughout his last five games. The 23-year-old has been playing far more confidently with the basketball, and it is translating to success as he is shooting 54.7 percent from the floor and 42.9 percent from distance.
While his 3-point shooting has provided lift, it is DiVincenzo’s finishing at the rim that has helped him find his groove lately. According to NBA.com/stats, the guard is shooting 13-of-17 (76.5) percent in the restricted area throughout his last six appearances. This has been a pleasant surprise considering his finishing at the rim has been among the most significant weak points in his game this season.
Along with his red-hot scoring, the guard has also impacted the game elsewhere by hauling in 6.6 rebounds a night over these games. DiVincenzo has been fantastic in making the hustle plays all throughout this season as he continues developing into a fantastic rebounder at the guard position. He has also made strides with his playmaking by dishing out an average of 3.6 assists, showing that he can take a share of ball-handling responsibilities as well.
DiVincenzo has rightfully been pegged as the potential X-factor for Milwaukee as they gear up for another playoff run and these last six games evidence why that is not so far-fetched. If the guard can break the spell and keep it consistent with these recent efforts heading into the postseason, there is no telling just how far the Bucks can go.