Milwaukee Bucks individual grades for the NBA’s 2022-23 regular season

Milwaukee Bucks Player Grades: Bigs

Giannis Antetokounmpo: A-

It was another typical great Giannis season, as he finished the year averaging 31 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists per game and is an MVP candidate for the fifth straight season. He was once again the best two-way player in the game this season, leading the league in points per minute while also reducing opponent field goal percentage more than anyone else in the league (players on average shot 6.8 percent worse when defended by Giannis than they normally do).

This wasn’t Giannis’ most efficient scoring season, but a lot of that has to do with him having one of the highest usage rates in the league due to missing Khris Middleton for most of the year. His efficiency returned to an elite level after he and Middleton returned in late January again, and he was incredible over the last 30 games or so. Giannis continued to prove that he is the best player in the world this year, and hopefully he can further cement that title with another legendary playoff run.

Brook Lopez: A+

If you went back in time about 10 months and told a Bucks fan how good Lopez would be this season, they wouldn’t believe you. After missing most of last season after needing back surgery, many were skeptical about just how much the 34-year-old could provide this season, and it seemed that a decline, whether small or large, was imminent. Well, Brook has had his best season as a Buck, playing like a Defensive Player of the Year candidate all year and also averaging 16 points while shooting a career-best on both threes (37 percent) and twos (64 percent).

Lopez dominated as a rim protector, averaging a career-high 2.5 blocks per game and consistently altering opponent’s shots around the rim. On top of what he did on both ends of the court, Lopez played in 78 out of 82 games and was the most reliable of the starters in terms of staying on the court all season. In a year where Middleton missed a lot of the season, Antetokounmpo missed 19 games, and Holiday missed 15 games, Brook Lopez is arguably the biggest reason why the Bucks still finished with the best record in the league.

Bobby Portis: B-

Portis has been a double-double machine all season, finishing with more double-doubles than any other bench player. That part of his game was consistent all season, but the part that wasn’t was his 3-point shot. After being a great 3-point shooter in each of the last two seasons, Bobby really struggled to find his shot for the first part of the season, shooting just 32 percent from three in his first 45 games. But lately, the shot has come back, and he closed the season shooting 45 percent from three in the Milwaukee Bucks’ final 25 games, which is a great sign for the playoffs.

Overall, it was an okay year for Bobby that was maybe slightly worse than expected due to how poor his defense was and how long it took him to find his shot. Still, the energy he brings combined with his elite shooting lately will be very helpful to the Bucks for a postseason run.