Can the Milwaukee Bucks’ backup backcourt turn things around?

The Milwaukee Bucks have undoubtedly had their share of issues this season, but among the most problematic concerns has been their bench production. Milwaukee’s bench ranks 29th in points, 29th in assists, and 23rd in rebounds per game, numbers that are far below what this contending squad is capable of achieving. Amidst these struggles, two Bucks that have been under surveillance are Donte DiVincenzo and George Hill.

DiVincenzo has had a tough time getting reintegrated back into the lineup following an eventful past few months. Of course, the guard’s 2020-21 season was cut short after he suffered an ankle injury in the playoffs that required surgery. After missing a sizeable portion of this season due to rehabilitation, DiVincenzo was cleared to return on December 15, but that return got pushed back after he entered the league’s health and safety protocols. Once he finally made his return, it was short-lived as the 24-year-old suffered an injury to the same ankle he just had surgically repaired, which sidelined him for a handful of games.

The Big Ragu has since returned to the lineup and has appeared in 10 games this season. In those games, he has averaged 6.8 points while shooting 26.9 percent from the floor and 28.9 percent on 3-pointers, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 18.9 minutes per game. Amidst all the chaos that has happened over the past year for DiVincenzo, it is no surprise he has struggled this mightily.

As for Hill, he returned to Milwaukee for a second stint in free agency, and many viewed him as an immediate upgrade after the team went through backup point guard issues last season. However, Hill has not quite lived up to expectations thus far, averaging 7.2 points on 44.1 percent field goal shooting and an ugly 31.9 percent 3-point shooting. It has been far from smooth sailing for Hill as the Bucks have relied heavily on him due to some injuries to starting guard Jrue Holiday.

While both DiVincenzo and Hill have struggled this season, it looks like the pair might be ready to turn the corner.

Donte DiVincenzo and George Hill have turned heads for the Milwaukee Bucks with their strong play recently

Hill has played particularly well in two of his last three games. In last Wednesday’s matchup with the Memphis Grizzlies, the guard looked rejuvenated offensively as he scored 14 points on 5-of-7 shooting, including 2-of-4 from deep. Not only was Hill attacking all night, but he did a solid job of facilitating as he dished out six assists in the game as well. With this being Holiday’s first game back from an ankle injury, the Bucks opted to bring him off the bench to ease him back into things, and Hill did a stellar job of filling in at the starting point guard slot.

Following a subpar game against the Chicago Bulls in Milwaukee’s next outing, Hill bounced back in a win versus the Sacramento Kings. The guard was outstanding, attacking offensively en route to scoring a season-high 17 points on 4-of-7 shooting, including an impressive 3-of-6 from deep, along with a perfect 6-of-6 from the charity stripe. In addition to his offense, Hill’s hustle was on full display as he pulled down four rebounds, three of which came on the offensive end.

Sticking with that win against the Kings, DiVincenzo also did his part to ensure that the Bucks would get the win by clocking in his best performance of the season. The shooting guard chipped in 20 points on an efficient 6-of-10 shooting, including 3-of-5 from deep. Whether it be from long range, in the mid-range, or behind the arc, DiVincenzo has had his troubles scoring the basketball this season, so it was beyond welcoming to see him find a groove. After a rough start to the year, hopefully this performance can spark the young guard’s confidence moving forward.

This is exactly what the Bucks need right now with their bench struggling as mightily as it has this season. The defending champions are starting to get healthier, and if DiVincenzo and Hill can keep riding this recent momentum, it could help fix their bench problems. These past few games have provided optimism in that regard, but they will have to show it consistently.

Stay tuned to find out if they can keep the ball rolling for the Milwaukee Bucks.