Wesley Matthews and Joe Ingles have given the Bucks a spark in January

The Milwaukee Bucks entered the 2022-23 NBA season with the oldest roster in the association.

Whether fans have liked it or not, the front office has gone all out to add seasoned veterans who complement the Big 3 of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton, and Jrue Holiday. While some youth would not hurt, the thought process behind Milwaukee’s decision makes sense. The Bucks are in win-now mode, and adding veterans with hard-earned playoff experience who can impact winning at the highest level is a reasonable strategy. For example, look no further than what the duo of Wesley Matthews and Joe Ingles have done for Milwaukee in the month of January.

Wesley Matthews and Joe Ingles have given the Bucks a spark in January

Wesley Matthews’ playing time with the Bucks has been inconsistent this season, as his role has varied from game to game. The 36-year-old has played a career-low 14.7 minutes per contest on the year, but he has always stayed ready. Coach Mike Budenholzer has called upon Matthews as of late, as the veteran has seen consistent action in the team’s last four games.

In that timeframe, Matthews has averaged 6.3 points and 5.5 rebounds while shooting a red-hot 46.7 percent from 3-point territory. In addition to his statistical production, Matthews has shown that he has not lost a step on the defensive end, as he has been excellent on that side of the ball. Matthews had his best game of the season in Milwaukee’s last outing vs. the Charlotte Hornets by tallying 11 points, six rebounds, and a block and a steal each as the Bucks got a big win.

Although it has come in a small sample size, Matthews has proven that he can still give the Bucks a big spark when given the chance. His outside shooting can be rather streaky, but when he is on, he is dead on. It is always welcoming when Matthews is hitting his perimeter shots, but the main draw with the veteran is his defense. Even at 36 years old, Matthews has continued to show that he can make an impact on that side of the basketball by taking on high-profile assignments. Even if the Bucks have been in pursuit of another wing defender in Jae Crowder, the team knows how big of an impact Matthews can have.

As for Joe Ingles, he has not been as stout defensively as Matthews, but the veteran has certainly made an impact on the other side of things. After a slow start to the season, which was expected due to the veteran coming off ACL surgery, Ingles has gotten himself into a great rhythm over his last 12 games. In that span, he has averaged 8.2 points while shooting 48.5 percent from the field and a blistering 47.1 percent from three. Along with his scoring and efficiency, Ingles has served as another facilitator for the Bucks by averaging 3.5 assists per contest in that same span.

As many envisioned when the team signed him this past off-season, what the 35-year-old has brought to the table has been useful for the Bucks. His long-range shooting has been tremendous lately, as Ingles has been a reliable marksman for Milwaukee. As for the facilitating, Ingles’ ability to run the offense and give players like Antetokounmpo, Middleton, and Holiday a breather has been a major addition. The Bucks have not had a player with those exact capabilities before, and his presence should only continue to help the team whenever he takes the floor.

With Bobby Portis sidelined lately due to an MCL sprain, these two have gotten some extended minutes, and they have taken advantage. Like the savvy veterans they are, Matthews and Ingles have stepped up to the plate and given the Bucks a boost off the bench in Portis’ absence.

Hopefully these two veterans can continue playing at a high level, as they will certainly become more important for the Milwaukee Bucks as the season goes on.