Everyone hoped it wouldn't come to this, but unfortunately, the Milwaukee Bucks have been hit with the injury bug once again.
After injuring his thumb in last Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers, Jerich Sims underwent a successful procedure on Thursday to repair it. Sims is now slated to miss the next four weeks, which is a brutal blow, given how well the big man was playing. On top of that, the Milwaukee Bucks are thin at center, as is, with Bobby Portis currently suspended. This puts them in a legitimate bind.
With their frontcourt depth depleted, the Bucks don't have many options, but there is one strategy they must turn to in the meantime.
The Milwaukee Bucks may now be forced to use smaller lineups
Brook Lopez will still start at center, and this injury will likely force him to see an uptick in minutes. However, he won't be running the show for 48 minutes per game. Looking at the roster, the obvious way to go when Lopez needs a breather is to run some smaller lineups, particularly some with their superstar player at the five spot.
Since coming back from the NBA All-Star break, the Milwaukee Bucks have only utilized lineups with Giannis Antetokounmpo at center and Kyle Kuzma at the four for 14 minutes. Even with Sims healthy, that was far too few minutes, especially considering that combination was one of the main reasons why the Kuzma trade was so justifiable when it went down.
While Giannis and Lopez should split duties at center, they shouldn't be the only two. Rookie big man Tyler Smith could receive rare legitimate minutes after spending most of his season in the G-League. Two-way newcomer Pete Nance may also get thrown into the fire for a few minutes here and there to give the Milwaukee Bucks some size.
No matter who they throw out on the court, going small is something the Milwaukee Bucks will likely be forced to do much more often.
The Sims injury is beyond unfortunate. He looked like he was finally coming into his own and was on the rise in Milwaukee, only to be hit with this. He will have very little time to get back up to speed as the NBA Playoffs near, but the hope is that he can still make an impact there. The Bucks need his speed and athletic ability as they aim to make a deep run.
In the meantime, they will have to find ways to survive, and Tuesday's game against Golden State will be a fascinating display of Doc River's decision-making.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.