The Milwaukee Bucks entered the 2021-22 season energized to defend their title as champions, but an assortment of injuries have plagued them early on.
The world champions sit at just 4-4 on the young season, having lost three of their last four games. Their injury woes apparently have no end in sight either as names just continue to pile on the injury report day after day. Still, depth was considered a strong suit for the Bucks heading into this season, and they must continue to work with who is available. As they look to do so, here are three players that can certainly contribute more with the opportunity presented to them.
Jordan Nwora can contribute more for the Milwaukee Bucks
Jordan Nwora was the talk of the town for the Bucks entering the season. Following a very strong showing in the preseason, the forward looked ready to take on more responsibility and carve out a role for himself in the team’s regular rotation. The opportunity has been there, but the forward has struggled to contribute.
Playing 22.6 minutes throughout his first seven games, he is averaging 9.4 points while shooting 37.3 percent from the floor and a grueling 31.6 percent from distance. Finding ways to score the ball has always been Nwora’s bread and butter, but he has failed to find much consistency in the early portion of the season, which has been disappointing. Nwora has become a staple in the rotation as many hoped, but the production has not been up to par.
Nwora’s struggles have hurt the Bucks tremendously as their second unit is currently averaging a mere 34 points per game, the 16th best mark in the league. With players like George Hill and the incredibly versatile Pat Connaughton sliding into the starting five due to the injuries, the Bucks are without two key players off the bench. This is the perfect opportunity for Nwora to show off what he brings to the table for the champs, and he has struggled to grasp it early on.
Now, this is Nwora’s first legitimate go-round in the NBA after playing scarcely in his rookie year. The forward has been baptized by fire for the injury-riddled Bucks, and he stands as one of the youngest players on this roster. This playing time has been great experience for the second-year man out of Louisville, and he should only improve with time. This is a player that can put up double figures nightly, and the Bucks would undoubtedly like to see that with the injuries adding up.
He showed optimism in that regard with a solid performance in Milwaukee’s 117-89 win over the Detroit Pistons last night by posting 16 points, four rebounds, and three assists. Hopefully, that is a sign of things to come.