Assessing Milwaukee Bucks debuts for Wesley Matthews, Javonte Smart

The Milwaukee Bucks got back on the right track last night with a commanding 124-102 win over the Miami Heat.

There was no shortage of interesting storylines stemming from the contest, but one that had the attention of everyone was the season debuts for Wesley Matthews and Javonte Smart. Both were brought aboard this past week to give the Bucks some depth as they continue to battle through an array of injuries. Matthews signed with Milwaukee on a non-guaranteed deal while Smart came in on a two-way contract. While neither is expected to see the pair play a prominent role in the mix for the champs, they would each get an opportunity against the Heat as the Bucks were without a laundry list of players, including Giannis Antetokounmpo, Grayson Allen, Brook Lopez, and more.

How did the newly signed Wesley Matthews and Javonte Smart look in their 2021-22 Milwaukee Bucks debuts?

With Milwaukee’s typical backup point guard in George Hill sidelined for Saturday’s matchup, the Bucks turned to Smart to fill in. It was the first-ever NBA game for the 22-year-old, and he had his work cut out for him as coach Mike Budenholzer played him 28-and-a-half minutes. In that frame, Smart struggled with his shot as he went just 2-of-7 from the field, including 1-of-4 from behind the arc. Yet, he remained aggressive and earned a pair of trips to the free throw line, knocking in three of those shots in four attempts to finish with eight points on the night. He would chip in an eye-catching six rebounds and four assists also as the guard was active from start to finish.

Overall, it was a solid NBA debut for Smart. It would have been great to see him find a groove with his shooting, but for his first game ever, no one could fault him. Smart had been showing signs of untapped potential down in the G-League before the Bucks signed, and there were glimpses of it in the win over the Heat. Most of Smart’s time will likely come with the Wisconsin Herd this year, as Milwaukee’s G-League affiliate is currently having a great season. Yet, if the Bucks are ever in need of a backup point guard like they were last night, Smart could quickly be called up.

While this was Smart’s NBA debut, Matthews played under far different circumstances as not only is he a seasoned veteran, but he played for the Bucks just two seasons ago. Yet, considering that the Bucks had signed Matthews a day before their meeting with the Heat, he was not expected to see significant time in the rotation. That proved to be the case as he played 12 minutes in total off the bench. There was not much statistically to take away from Matthews’ debut as he knocked in one 3-pointer in three attempts and pulled down a rebound.

Yet, perhaps it was what Matthews did off the stat sheet that stood out. The veteran looked lively all night as he played hard-nosed defense against the Heat and was not afraid to sacrifice himself in a skirmish for the basketball where he outmatched two Miami defenders. He also took an elbow to the face as he tried to draw an offensive foul from Heat two-guard Tyler Herro, but it was called a blocking foul, for whatever reason. Hustle plays like this are what will help Matthews earn more playing time for the Bucks, and if he can provide some shooting and robust defense off the bench just as he did last night, he will be in good shape. Solid work from the Wisconsin native.

It will be interesting to see where these two fit when the Bucks start to get healthier, but in their season debuts, they both showed signs of promise.