7 Milwaukee Bucks with something to prove in the 2023-24 NBA season
By Dalton Sell
Milwaukee Bucks with something to prove – Bobby Portis
There’s no denying that Bobby Portis has been the heartbeat of the Milwaukee Bucks’ bench over the last few seasons. He’s been a vital cog and just finished top three in the Sixth Man of the Year running. Yet, Portis has been far from perfect, as, over the course of the last three years, he’s had a tough time replicating his regular season success in the NBA Playoffs. Can he find a way to do it?
In three regular seasons with the Bucks, he’s averaged 13.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 1.3 assists while shooting 49.6 percent from the floor and 40.2 percent from three. In three playoff runs, he’s averaged 9.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 0.7 assists while shooting 45 percent from the floor and a vile 31.6 percent from 3-point territory. Those differences have hurt the Bucks quite a bit.
The biggest drops for Portis are his scoring and outside shooting. He just hasn’t been able to put points on the board as effectively, and it’s largely due to his dip in 3-point shooting. Portis hasn’t been able to consistently stay on the floor due to his defensive limitations either. Some have even clamored for the team to include him in trades due to these concerns about him in the playoffs.
The fan favorite will aim to bounce back from a quiet playoff showing and silence his doubters by proving that he can be an impactful piece in the postseason.