How deep will the Milwaukee Bucks’ rotation go versus Chicago Bulls?

The Milwaukee Bucks entered the 2021-22 regular season with a deep roster in tow, but through trades, signings, and a surplus of moves, they got even deeper as the season progressed.

With the 2022 NBA Playoffs on the horizon, head coach Mike Budenholzer will now have to assess his players and put together a rotation versus the Chicago Bulls. Given the amount of talent on the Bucks’ roster, that will be no easy task. With all that being said, let us break down how the rotation may look when the Bucks begin their first round series against the Bulls this coming Sunday.

Just how deep will the Milwaukee Bucks’ rotation go against the Chicago Bulls?

Looking at Milwaukee’s roster, it seems feasible to believe that they will run a nine-man rotation in round one, with some other players potentially mixed in on occasion.

The starting lineup versus the Bulls will likely be the same one that the Bucks have used down the stretch lately, which includes Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday, Khris Middleton, Brook Lopez, and Wesley Matthews. The first four will unquestionably earn time because they are Milwaukee’s top four players, while Matthews will be utilized for his defense, as the forward will likely get the assignment of guarding DeMar DeRozan. No controversy here.

Looking at the bench, four players that are virtually guaranteed to earn minutes in some capacity are Pat Connaughton, Bobby Portis, Grayson Allen, and George Hill. Connaughton will likely serve as Milwaukee’s sixth man throughout the series due to his Swiss Army Knife stature, as he can be utilized practically anywhere on the floor. Portis’ minutes will be close to Connaughton’s as he has been a pivotal contributor for the Bucks this season with his scoring, shooting, and rebounding.

Allen had been Milwaukee’s starter for most of the year, and he will earn time due to his prolific shooting from 3-point range. Hill has been dealing with some injuries lately, but if he is ready to play once the series begins, he will be the team’s backup point guard. The inclusion of Hill might draw some controversy due to his struggles this season, but Budenholzer has not let that deter him from giving the guard considerable minutes when he is healthy.

With that nine-man rotation in mind, two players that are on the outside looking in are Serge Ibaka and Jevon Carter, who were both mid-season additions. Although each player has proven that they can help this team in various ways, they fell out of favor in Milwaukee’s rotation down the stretch, which seems likely to carry over into the NBA Playoffs.

Though they will likely not be part of the regular rotation, both players could pop up on occasion. Ibaka could be used when defending Chicago’s centers in the minutes where Lopez or Portis need a breather, and many would argue that Carter is a far better backup than Hill so he should be the one getting those minutes. Depending on Hill’s status for Game 1, Carter could potentially take his spot in the rotation, but that is just speculation. As it stands, these two will likely be spectators.

Right now, a nine-man rotation with the players listed seems like the most reasonable prediction.

Stay tuned to see how the rotation looks when the Milwaukee Bucks take the court this Sunday.