The Milwaukee Bucks crossed their final regular season game off the schedule Sunday night with a 118-112 loss to the Chicago Bulls.
However, these were not your typical Bucks as the team was without every single routine starter along with P.J. Tucker, Bryn Forbes, and Bobby Portis. They were all initially slated to play, but once word came in that they had cemented their place as the third seed in the Eastern Conference, it abruptly became a rest night for practically the entire rotation.
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That opened the door for some fresh faces to get an opportunity for Milwaukee as head coach Mike Budenholzer was forced to dig deep into his bench.
The shorthanded Bucks remained competitive and managed to keep things close with the Bulls until the final buzzer, properly getting the chance to evaluate some of the talented pieces on this roster that would typically not get the chance to shine.
Before all the focus shifts towards Milwaukee’s first round matchup with the Miami Heat in the coming days, here are three takeaways from last night’s loss in Chicago.
Jeff Teague steps up in starting role for Milwaukee Bucks in loss to Bulls
Although most of Milwaukee’s veterans were sidelined for this matchup, Jeff Teague was a rare exception. Not only did the 32-year-old suit up and play, but he got the nod in the starting lineup at the point guard slot.
The veteran floor general certainly made good with the opportunity by scoring an impressive 23 points on 5-for-11 shooting, including 3-for-3 from deep. Teague was aggressive in scoring the basketball all night by having earned himself 12 attempts from the free throw line where he added 10 points to his overall total. In addition to his heightened scoring load, Teague served as Milwaukee’s primary orchestrater offensively and dished out seven assists to show for it.
Although he has never been known for his defense, the guard also made his presence felt on that side of the ball last night as he tallied three steals and even a rare blocked shot. Teague can be a pesky player on defense at times, and he caught some attention for his efforts against Chicago.
Games like this showcase just how much of a wild card Teague can be on any given night for the Bucks. He possesses a solid scoring touch and pristine playmaking ability that he can put up big numbers routinely, but he has not been able to show it consistently. If he does receive a meaningful role in the playoff rotation, finding a rhythm off the bench as he did in Sunday’s loss to the Bulls would be a massive boost.
Elijah Bryant and Justin Jackson make their Milwaukee Bucks debuts in loss to Bulls
Budenholzer’s undermanned rotation paved the way for two newcomers to make their official debuts with the team last night.
The first was Elijah Bryant, who made his NBA debut after spending time in Israel with Maccabi Tel Aviv over the past several years. Bryant undoubtedly looked confident throughout his first 32 minutes of NBA action as he scored 16 points on 6-for-13 shooting, including just 1-for-5 from long range. Also hauling in six rebounds and dishing out three assists, it was a solid first night for the guard.
The coaching staff is reportedly very high on Bryant after he played with them in the 2019 Summer League, and hopefully he can develop into a solid contributor for this team down the line. Jockeying for minutes in this jam-packed backcourt rotation will be a challenge for him, but he has the tools to help this team out without question.
Making his team debut alongside Bryant was Justin Jackson, who came aboard last month after signing a two-way deal. Not having played in a game since April 3 as a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder, there was some rust for the forward as he finished last night’s game with nine points on just 3-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-6 from distance in 33 minutes. Jackson’s sweet shooting is something that could help him earn more minutes and it was encouraging to see him let it fly with confidence.
Although it came in a loss, both Bryant and Jackson showed signs of promise regarding what they can bring to the table for the Bucks. While their minutes might be scarce when the roster is back up to par, they will be nice additions to bolster the team’s depth further.
Jordan Nwora shines off the bench for the Milwaukee Bucks in loss to Bulls
The Bucks have primarily buried their 45th overall pick Jordan Nwora near the bottom of the rotation this season, but he saw a larger opportunity last night.
The rookie took advantage of the increased minutes by having the best game of his young career, scoring a career-high 34 points. Scoring and shooting the basketball were among Nwora’s strong suits heading into the NBA and he certainly showed it as he was extremely efficient on the evening by shooting 14-for-23 from the floor (4-for-8 from deep). His career night did not end there as he gathered 14 rebounds on the night as well.
Playing just under 36 minutes total, it was yet another game where Nwora flashed potential with more meaningful minutes in the primary rotation. While it might be too late to get the rookie acclimated into the rotation now, Nwora is proving that he could potentially be the steal of the 2020 NBA Draft. The sample size is unquestionably too small to verify that, but it is no coincidence that he continues producing at a high level in these opportunities.
As the youngest player on the roster, Nwora’s shooting and scoring abilities could potentially help him carve out a role on this team for the long haul if he continues improving.
The 2020-21 regular season has officially concluded with the Bucks finishing at third place in the East standings. That positioning has them slated to square off against the Heat in the first round, which will be a tough test from the jump, but this team is laser-focused. Stay tuned as we’ll cover this highly anticipated matchup in the coming days.