The Milwaukee Bucks got the full scope of the Bobby Portis experience over the last two games. Coming off a dismal showing in Detroit, his game against the Celtics supplied the positive end of the spectrum: 27 points on 11-of-13 shooting from the field, including 5-of-6 from distance. The defense and shot selection can be ugly at times, but when Portis is on a heater, the Bucks are tough to beat.
As Bobby Portis goes, so do the Bucks
With Milwaukee struggling to keep up in the first quarter, Portis delivered a shot in the arm in his first shift on the floor. He quickly drained three baskets from three different spots on the floor. Just like that, the Bucks were back in a one-possession game.
Portis didn't let up, either, starting 7-for-7 from the field to keep it relatively close as Boston attempted to stretch their lead. He ramped it up a notch in the fourth quarter, going 3-of-4 on threes and pouring in 11 points as the Bucks turned the tables en route to a comfortable win. He also cleaned up on the glass with 10 rebounds. That version of Portis can single-handedly swing a game in Milwaukee's favor.
That's not the version the Bucks got in Detroit, when Portis went 2-of-11 for seven points. Dribbling into mid-range jumpers or posting up for turnaround jump-hooks is not what the offense wants him doing.
On defense, he can be prone to lapses. When he isn't engaged, he ends up out of position and offers the resistance of wet paper. That Bobby Portis can swing the game the other way as a sinkhole at either end. For better or worse, he is Milwaukee's X-factor.
That's even more apparent with Giannis Antetokounmpo sidelined for the next several weeks. The offense needs Portis to carry more of the load in the frontcourt if Myles Turner won't make a habit of being aggressive. And, to his credit, he's been better lately, though still inconsistent.
In a loss to the 76ers last week, Portis contributed a team-high 22 points as one of the few bright spots. In a comeback win over the Pistons, he contributed outside the scoring column with nine rebounds and five assists. He's reached double figures in five of his last six games. His 27 points on Thursday were a season high.
The Bucks don't know what they'll get from Portis on any given night, something that works both for and against them. Forced to rely on him more heavily with Giannis out, they'll have to hope he has more hot nights than cold ones in the coming weeks.