The Milwaukee Bucks have a pair of studs defensively in Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins, who have dominated the NBA in terms of deflections this season. On the year, Porter leads the entire league in deflections per contest with 4.9, while Rollins is second with 4.8. These two are disrupting opposing offenses frequently, and it's giving the Bucks some life on the defensive end.
Bucks' backcourt providng an essential spark on defense
These two deserve their flowers.
Ryan Rollins has been a defensive menace all season. He currently possesses the most deflections in the entire league this year with 159. Considering he just turned 23, that speaks to the instincts he has on that side of the ball. In addition to the deflections and 1.6 steals per game, Rollins has emerged as a legitimate one-on-one defender who can take on some of the toughest matchups each night.
There is still a lot of basketball to play this season, but Rollins is making a strong case to find himself on an All-Defensive team by the end of the year. If he continues to do so while his offensive output holds steady (he's averaging almost 10 more points than he did last season), he could join Giannis Antetokounmpo in recent history and take home Most Improved Player and an All-Defensive nod.
Meanwhile, Kevin Porter Jr. has had a December to remember. With 32, Porter has the most steals in the league this month, currently five more than the runner-up. He's giving the Milwaukee Bucks a big lift with those takeaways, as he has totaled 61 points off turnovers this month, which, as you likely guessed by now, is the highest total in the NBA in this stretch.
In addition to the deflections and steals, Porter has been a stout one-on-one defender when taking on opposing guards. This season, guards are shooting 40-of-103 (38.8 percent) with Porter as their primary defender. He might not be elite individually, but Porter is doing his part to provide resistance to other guards and prevent them from scoring with ease.
These two are making it difficult for opposing offenses to get into a groove. With this pair lurking at all times defensively, ball-handlers have to be careful. Based on these numbers, they haven't been, and it continues to benefit the Milwaukee Bucks. If the team can beef up their defense with a big, switchable wing to pair with these two, the Bucks' defensive intensity could continue to grow.
For a while, Doc Rivers tried to split these two up, bringing Rollins off the bench behind Porter. It's now clear that cannot happen again. Together, they are a rising defensive duo that still has plenty of room to grow. They thrive off one another, and that energy spreads through to the rest of the team.
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