Why Bobby Portis is the most important reserve on the Milwaukee Bucks

Bobby Portis has been instrumental this season in the success of the Milwaukee Bucks in claiming the top spot in the Eastern Conference. A 118-104 victory over the Brooklyn Nets recently helped the team claim their 15th straight victory, with Bobby Portis missing 11 of those games with an MCL sprain.

Of the 61 regular season games so far, Giannis Antetokounmpo has played 49 and Khris Middleton has played just 20 and seven of those being starts. Now the team is nearing full health, and his impact may become even larger. Here is why Bobby Portis may be the most important reserve player for the Bucks moving forward.

Why Bobby Portis is the most important reserve on the Milwaukee Bucks

The 28-year-old has been impressive in this 2022-23 season and has become a dark horse for the Sixth Man of the Year Award.

Across the season, Portis is averaging a near double-double with 14.2 points and 9.9 rebounds per game through his 50 appearances this season. Only 15 of those appearances have come in the starting lineup. His rebounds per game total is a career-high, even ranking ahead of the 2021-22 season, where he started 59 of his 72 games.

Portis also has the ability to stretch the floor, shooting 37.8 percent from deep over his career. Despite this season being his third-lowest across his career at 34.1 percent, he will still create space for Giannis to drive and be open on the 3-point line if the defense collapses. To counter this, Portis is shooting an extremely high 56.6 percent from 2-point land and is continuously improving his interior offensive game.

Coming off the bench, his impact is clear to see. He brings energy to the team and the building, which has seen him become a fan favorite, even earning the nickname of The Mayor of Milwaukee. His ability to attack the glass is essential for the Bucks when Giannis or Brook Lopez are not on the floor. Portis has grabbed 336 rebounds off the bench this year, which puts him second in the rankings for total bench rebounds, per NBA.com.

The Bucks added Jae Crowder to the roster to provide some much-needed perimeter defensive help down the final stretch but also for the playoffs. Alongside Portis, the two could provide a great spark off the bench and give opposing players nightmares. This will also allow Crowder to pick up defensive assignments that Portis may have had and allow him to focus on his rebounding and being a lead offensive scorer.

His ability to score from the bench will help take the offensive load off his teammates, which will draw attention and create space for the likes of Crowder, Jrue Holiday, and Grayson Allen to get open from the perimeter.

Heading into the playoffs, Head Coach Mike Budenholzer will look to shorten the rotation, and Portis will be one of those that is likely to see a slight increase in minutes if his performances in the final 21 games of the regular season continue to live up to his standards.

The Bucks are on fire, and with the return of Portis to full health, the hottest team in the league will be an even bigger threat to win the NBA Championship.

Keep on the lookout for the impact Portis has for the Bucks down the stretch.