Milwaukee Bucks: 3 takeaways from preseason loss to Memphis Grizzlies

Takeaways from Milwaukee Bucks’ preseason loss to the Memphis Grizzlies: Jordan Nwora flashes potential in hefty minutes

Everyone wanted to see what Jordan Nwora would do in the preseason. The sophomore forward is among the most captivating players on this Milwaukee roster after showing untapped potential in brief spurts during his rookie season. With the Bucks banged up heading into the preseason, it was evidently clear he would get some legitimate minutes to play, which proved to be true as he ultimately started against the Grizzlies.

Nwora would see hefty minutes with 22-and-a-half in the loss, and he took advantage of the opportunity. The forward was streaky throughout the contest on the offensive end, scoring a team-high 16 points, but also taking a team-high 15 shot attempts to get there. That included a 1-for-4 showing from behind the arc, which is supposed to be his strong suit. Some possessions he looked great, while others were tough to watch. Nwora will continue to be a hit-or-miss player offensively, and the Bucks would love to see him get a hold on his consistently.

While everyone knows that Nwora would not be shy about shooting the ball, the bigger questions revolved around his defense and his passing. Those have been two of the weaker areas of Nwora’s game, and to his credit, he looked solid in both against the Grizzlies. Nwora tallied three assists in last night’s game, which was four less than he had throughout the entire 2020-21 season. On the defensive end, he tallied three steals and looked competent on his own for most of the night. Both of these were welcoming sights from the 23-year-old, and hopefully, he can show more over the next few preseason games.