The Milwaukee Bucks have a problem, and it’s one that’s been glaringly obvious to anyone who’s watched them play this season: the pairing of Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis simply doesn’t work. We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Doc Rivers is actively hurting the Bucks with this disastrous lineup combination, and the statistics back it up.
According to PBP Stats, in the 505 minutes Lopez and Portis have shared the floor this season, the Bucks have posted a defensive rating of 114.3, which would rank 22nd in the NBA. For a team with championship aspirations, that’s unacceptable. The solution to this problem isn’t complicated—it’s sitting right in front of Doc Rivers’ face. It’s time to stop forcing the Lopez-Portis duo and start giving newcomer Jericho Sims a chance.
On paper, pairing Brook Lopez and Bobby Portis makes sense. Lopez is a defensive anchor who can protect the rim and stretch the floor with his 3-point shooting. Portis is a high-energy big who can score in the post and crash the glass. Together, they should form a formidable frontcourt. But the reality has been far from ideal.
The issue is simple: neither Lopez nor Portis has the speed or athleticism to keep up with modern NBA offenses. When they’re on the floor together, the Bucks are exposed in pick-and-roll coverage, struggle to close out on shooters, and get torched in transition. The numbers don’t lie—their 114.3 defensive rating when sharing the court is a glaring weakness that opposing teams have exploited.
Doc Rivers’ most baffling lineup decision is costing the Bucks
Enter Jericho Sims.
Acquired ahead of the trade deadline for Delon Wright, Sims is the kind of athletic, mobile big man the Bucks have been missing. At 6-foot-10 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan and elite leaping ability, Sims brings the speed and energy that Lopez and Portis lack. He’s a lob threat on offense, a relentless rebounder, and a versatile defender who can switch onto smaller players and protect the rim. In short, he’s exactly what the Milwaukee Bucks need to fix their frontcourt issues.
Yet, for some reason, Rivers has been reluctant to give Sims meaningful minutes in the same way that Tyler Smith and Chris Livingston also have not seen the floor in moments where they could have contributed.
Instead, he’s continued to lean on the Lopez-Portis pairing, even as it’s become clear that the two can’t coexist effectively. It’s a baffling decision, especially when the Milwaukee Bucks’ championship hopes are on the line.
This writer will be the first to admit that the sample size is limited, the statistics are unflattering and all we really have with Sims is a passable eye test.
And what the eye test says is that when Sims has been on the floor for the Knicks, even in limited minutes, the difference is noticeable. He moves his feet well on defense, contests shots without fouling and provides a much-needed spark in transition. On offense, he’s a perfect fit alongside Damian Lillard, as his ability to finish above the rim and set solid screens creates easy scoring opportunities. He’s not the shooter that Lopez is, but he doesn’t need to be. What he brings in terms of athleticism and energy more than makes up for it.
The reality is that the NBA has evolved, and traditional big men like Lopez and Portis are becoming increasingly difficult to play together.
Teams are prioritizing speed, spacing and versatility, and the Bucks are no exception. Look at the teams that have had success in recent years—the Denver Nuggets with Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon, the Golden State Warriors with Draymond Green and Kevon Looney, the Boston Celtics with Al Horford and, once upon a time, Robert Williams. These teams have found ways to balance size with athleticism, and the Milwaukee Bucks need to do the same.
Sims represents the modern NBA big—a player who can defend multiple positions, run the floor and finish at the rim. Outside of Giannis, who typically handles the ball on his own, the Bucks have never had this kind of player in this era of Bucks basketball. By giving him more minutes, the Bucks can modernize their frontcourt and address one of their most glaring weaknesses.
The bottom line is this: Doc Rivers has a decision to make, and he's running out of time.
He can continue to force the Lopez-Portis pairing, hoping that things will magically improve despite all evidence to the contrary. Or he can embrace the obvious solution and give Jericho Sims a chance to prove himself. The Milwaukee Bucks’ defensive struggles when Lopez and Portis share the floor are unsustainable, and their championship hopes depend on fixing this issue.
The answer is right in front of Rivers’ face. Jericho Sims isn’t just a role player—he’s the kind of player who could be key to unlocking the Bucks’ potential. If Rivers doesn’t act soon, he may find himself on the wrong side of history, watching another championship opportunity slip away because he refused to make the obvious adjustment.
The clock is ticking, Doc. What are you waiting for?
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