3 Milwaukee Bucks exceeding early expectations in 2021-22 NBA season
By Dalton Sell
After a turbulent start to the season, the Milwaukee Bucks have finally started to find a rhythm after going 9-1 in their last 10 games. Following their blowout win over the Miami Heat Saturday night, the Bucks have moved up to third place in the Eastern Conference with a 15-9 record. This comes despite a swarm of injuries that have plagued the defending champs over the first quarter of the season. A reason that they have managed to stay afloat has been the team’s ‘next man up’ mentality, which several players have taken to heart early. With that being said, let us take a look at three players that have exceeded early expectations for the Bucks.
Bobby Portis has exceeded early expectations with the Milwaukee Bucks
After a phenomenal first season with the Bucks last year, Bobby Portis decided to run it back and come back for more by re-signing in free agency. After watching him last season, everyone knew that Portis would be a key piece entering year two, but no one could have predicted that he would become the team’s full-time starter at the center position. Portis has started for Milwaukee in 15 of his 19 games this season due to the back issues of typical starting center Brook Lopez. He has undeniably taken advantage of the opportunity to help keep the Bucks afloat.
In the 15 games that Portis has started this season, he is averaging 16.7 points while shooting an incredibly efficient 49.7 percent from the floor and 45.2 percent from distance while also grabbing 9.6 boards per contest. Of course, the endless hustle and toughness that Portis has also given the Bucks will not show up on the stat sheet, but it has undeniably been felt. The veteran is playing his best basketball to date as the team’s second unit center is thriving in the starting lineup.
Portis’ production was obviously going to be significant to Milwaukee’s success this season, but it has been taken it up a notch following the Lopez injury. He is currently blowing his previous career bests in practically every statistical category out of the water right now. Playing a career-high 28 minutes per game and starting in nearly every game he has played in this season has helped him do so, but good on Portis for embracing the challenge of filling in for the injured Lopez.