Milwaukee Bucks small forward Jordan Nwora has taken a lot of heat early on during his sophomore season in 2021-22. This has been highlighted by poor shot selection, sloppy turnovers, lazy play, and mental lapses. The past three games have pretty much been the polar opposite, though. With a depleted roster due to injury and health and safety protocols due to COVID, the Bucks have had no choice but to play Nwora heavy minutes as of late.
Jordan Nwora has turned heads lately with the Milwaukee Bucks
While his overall play is still far from perfect on both ends of the court, Nwora seems to have regained his shooting touch and even more importantly, his overall confidence. The hot and cold sharpshooter has logged heavy minutes the past three games – 27, 42, and 42 respectively. To be precise, Nwora’s field goal percentage during this time is 46 percent (23-for-50), which includes 42 percent from 3-point range (8-for-19). Overall, in the past three games, he is averaging 19 points and 10 rebounds per game. While these numbers aren’t gaudy overall, they are an improvement from his early season struggles.
Nwora is far from an overall finished product to date, but he seems to have gotten back on track these past three games. Although it’s a very small sample size, it is something to build on. There are still mental lapses on both ends of the floor. This includes poor shot selection, missing easy layups, and lazy/poor defensive play, on the one hand.
On the other hand, when he is on, specifically his low release spot-up 3-point shot, it is a thing of beauty. He has a very soft touch too, which makes his shot look seamless, when he’s connecting. When his low release shot is off and it’s contested, it’s not a pretty sight sometimes. Combine that with his overly cute ball-handling which many times lead to turnovers, he can be a very confounding player.
The same can be said for him from a defensive perspective. At times this season, he looks improved. This has resulted in five steals and two blocks in the past three games. Combine this with double-digit rebound games in two of the past three, there is reason for optimism and hope.
Conversely, there have also been frustrating and head-scratching moments, specifically on the defensive end. Poor effort and lazy play from time to time have led Nwora to get beat badly and look lost at times. Nwora was never a solid defensive player in college at Louisville. This has clearly translated to his first two seasons with the Bucks. He is very young, very raw, and is still learning the ropes. Head coach Mike Budenholzer continues to remain patient with him, as he should.
While he has looked good the past three games, this is mainly because he has been the focal point of the offense, especially without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday, and Grayson Allen on the floor. When he is not the focal point of the offense, his defensive issues become an issue. He will never be the focal point of the offense when he’s on the floor with any of the above-mentioned players, obviously.
There have been a few occasions this season when he blows a defensive assignment or commits a careless and lazy turnover with his ballhandling or passing. This has resulted in him being pulled from the game and right into Budenholzer’s doghouse for the next couple of games or so.
Some may look at his offensive production these last three games as a COVID consolation. Regardless, this should raise his stock should he be used as a trade piece. There’s no doubt that he’ll be able to contribute as a scorer off the bench and continue to build and develop a career as such. He certainly isn’t bashful by any means when it comes to shooting.
If Nwora is going to continue to grow and develop his game in such a role on the Milwaukee Bucks as presently constructed, he will have to at least give a consistent effort on the defensive end of the court. Until he does so, there will be continued skepticism.
With the Bucks desperate for another big man on the roster to protect the rim, there have been numerous rumblings amongst some of the Bucks fanbase calling for Nwora to be included in any such potential trades. If he continues playing like this, they may reconsider.