Throughout the first five games of the 2021-22 NBA season, the Milwaukee Bucks have put together a 3-2 overall record.
There have been some highs, such as a thrilling opening night victory against the Brooklyn Nets, but also some lows, such as a 42 point loss to the Miami Heat. The Bucks are still looking to piece everything together, which has been a challenge, considering all the adversity they have faced this early in the season. Five games in, there is certainly nothing to panic about just yet, as everyone saw the Bucks get off to a slow start last season, and we all know how that turned out. With that being said, here are five observations from the team’s first five games of the 2021-22 season.
No. 1: Injuries have taken their toll on the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021-22
It is hard to evaluate the Bucks this early on because they have been bombarded by a handful of injuries to key pieces.
The most significant has been Jrue Holiday, who has missed time with a heel contusion and an ankle sprain. Holiday has appeared in just two of Milwaukee’s first five games, having played a total of 43 minutes. Obviously, the Bucks have missed the presence of their starting point guard. Without Holiday, the Bucks have been missing one of their three best players, leaving Milwaukee without a scorer, facilitator, and elite defender in the backcourt. This has forced the Bucks to start George Hill and give steady minutes to two-way guard Justin Robinson, a pairing that cannot make up the difference without Holiday.
Holiday is not the only starter that the Bucks are playing without, as Brook Lopez has also missed considerable time early on. Dealing with back soreness, Lopez has appeared in just one game this season. Replacing his presence has been challenging for the Bucks, especially considering that big man Bobby Portis has also missed significant time due to a hamstring injury. After missing the first four games of the season, Portis made his debut in Wednesday’s loss to Minnesota, and he showed some rust, understandably. It will take him a few games to get his legs back.
Other injured players include Donte DiVincenzo, Semi Ojeleye, and Rodney Hood. DiVincenzo is still dealing with his season-ending surgery from last year, and there is no timetable for his return. He will be a nice bench piece to bring in once he is back to full strength. Just like Portis, Ojeleye made his first 2021-22 appearance against the Timberwolves, but he struggled to make much of an impact. The same goes for Rodney Hood, who has appeared in the last two games after battling foot soreness early on, and he has struggled to find his footing.
The Bucks have been hit by the injury bug early, which has undoubtedly played a part in their early woes. At 3-2, the team has managed to stay afloat, but these injuries will continue to be an issue.
No. 2: The Milwaukee Bucks could use a serviceable backup big man
The Bucks do not have the most roster flexibility at this time, but one thing that the team could use is another backup big man.
Although it is not time to hit the panic button on Lopez, this back soreness is concerning to some degree. He has already missed four games this season, two more than he did all of last year. This could be a lingering issue, and with the big man nearing 34-years-old, he will not be getting any younger as the year goes on. As long as this injury is bothering Lopez, the team will not rush him back into the lineup. Ojeleye recently talked about how the staff was cautious with his calf strain and kept him sidelined for longer than he initially anticipated. They will take a similar approach to prioritize health when it comes to their starting center.
Having Portis back helps give Milwaukee some size, but he cannot be the team’s lone big man on a nightly basis. Before Portis returned, rookie Sandro Mamukelashvili played meaningful minutes for the Bucks, but it was clear that he was not ready for such a prominent role, as they assigned him to join the Wisconsin Herd, the G-League affiliate, to get some reps. Giannis Antetokounmpo has been forced to play extra minutes at the center position due to this predicament, and while he can hold his own there, it is not sustainable for long stretches over the regular season.
It would take some serious string-pulling, but the Bucks could use another big man on the roster to bolster their frontcourt depth. Johnny O’Bryant spent training camp and the preseason with the Bucks, and they have that previous familiarity with him. DeMarcus Cousins might not be the player that he once was and he would not help the team defensively, but he would be a household name to bring in. Time will tell what the team decides to do, but adding a center would be a solid move to give the team some extra insurance as they try to maneuver through these injuries.
No. 3: The Milwaukee Bucks’ defense is still a work in progress early on
The Bucks have been known for their defensive excellence in the Mike Budenholzer coaching era, but they have gotten off to a slow start this year.
According to NBA.com/stats, the Bucks have the 23rd best defensive rating in the NBA this year at 110.6. Obviously, playing most of their games without Holiday and Lopez has played into this as they are two quality defenders. Holiday is not only the best guard defender in the league, but he is arguably the best defender regardless of position. On the other hand, Lopez is an All-Defensive big man, having anchored this defense down low over the past several seasons. Losing those two was going to hinder this defensive success, and it has been challenging to navigate early on.
As expected, Milwaukee’s early defensive woes have reignited the conversation as to whether or not the team made the right decision regarding P.J. Tucker’s free agency. Tucker, who played in the 42-point blowout victory against the Bucks earlier this season, was a key piece defensively for the Bucks last year, and he has brought that intensity to Miami this season. Although the Bucks could surely use that defensive intensity right now, these issues have mostly been due to their in-house injuries, rather than Tucker’s absence.
Once Holiday and Lopez return, the Bucks should only get better on the defensive end, but the big question is when those two will be ready. In the meantime, they will have to look elsewhere to fill those roles defensively.
No. 4: Grayson Allen can be a difference-maker for the Milwaukee Bucks
Milwaukee’s biggest move of the offseason was trading for guard Grayson Allen, and as expected, he has seen a hefty workload early on.
Starting in the shooting guard slot, Allen is playing the most playing time in his NBA career with 28.8 minutes per contest. With that increased role, Allen has been averaging new career-bests in several statistical categories, including points, rebounds, and steals. The 25-year-old has been a solid fit early on, but there is still room for him to improve. That improvement starts with his shot from the perimeter, where he has struggled to find a groove this season.
As it stands, Allen is shooting the most triples on average for the Bucks with 8.6 per contest. That translates to 43 total attempts in five games, which is tied for the third-most in the entire league. Allen has been getting more looks from 3-point range than ever before, but unfortunately, he has struggled to knock them down by connecting on just 32.6 percent of those tries. The toughest part to grasp about it is that plenty of these have been wide-open looks. The guard has shot a grueling 5-of-18 (27.8 percent) on wide-open 3-pointers (closest defender not within six or more feet) this season, a number that certainly hurts to look at.
While Allen has already been putting up career numbers, they would be much greater if he found a way to connect on more of these triples. Sometimes the best way to get out of a slump is to keep on shooting the basketball, and that is exactly what the team will assure him to do. With the sheer amount of attempts that he is getting per night, the guard could be a difference-maker for the Milwaukee Bucks when that shot is falling.
No. 5: Pat Connaughton and Jordan Nwora have played increasingly important roles for the Milwaukee Bucks
Due to injuries, the Bucks have been forced to shift around the rotation, which has paved the way for Pat Connaughton and Jordan Nwora to see bigger roles.
Surprisingly, Connaughton is averaging the most minutes per game among any Buck this season with 31.4, a testament to how heavily they have relied on him early. The injuries have forced the typical second unit sparkplug into the starting lineup for three of the team’s five games this year, and he is taking advantage. Connaughton is currently averaging a career-high 12.2 points, blowing his previous best out of the water by nearly double. He has been red hot on the offensive end to start the season by shooting 47.9 percent from the floor and 36.4 percent from deep.
Excluding a rare poor shooting night against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Connaughton has been fantastic to start the season. He has become the perfect role player for this team, and their ability to lean on him has been significant as they try to navigate through these injuries. He will continue to be a key piece of the rotation for the Bucks, as he has earned the right over the past year.
On the opposite end of the spectrum is Nwora, who is looking to establish himself and earn his place in the rotation. Thus far, he has looked solid by averaging 10.2 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.6 assists in 23.4 minutes per game. As the minutes indicate, the Bucks have given the forward more opportunity to showcase his skills, and they have been there on full display. Nwora is still learning the ropes, but the sophomore is getting valuable time right now, providing his share of meaningful contributions off the bench.
These two have been great for the Milwaukee Bucks early on, and they will continue to be two players that will be crucial contributors this season.