The Milwaukee Bucks didn’t plan for this.
This is just not the playoff scenario we were expecting to see when this season started. No, this was supposed to be Damian Lillard’s show — the pressure possessions, the late-clock bailouts, the cold-blooded pull-ups from 30.
Instead, with Lillard sidelined and no guarantee if he’ll return, it’s Kevin Porter Jr. who’s being asked to carry the offense alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo and company.
And that’s a terrifying reality heading into a playoff series.
The Milwaukee Bucks must trust guard with zero playoff experience
Let’s be clear about it before anything else: considering he was a one-for-one trade deadline acquisition for MarJon Beauchamp of all people, Kevin Porter Jr. has been really, really good.
He’s played his way into the rotation, then into closing lineups and now into something more — the Bucks’ most reliable shot creator not named Giannis Antetokounmpo. That sentence alone is enough to make any fan nervous, but there’s no sugarcoating it. This is where Milwaukee is, for better or for worse.
It’s not ideal. This team did not envision leaning on a 24-year-old reclamation project with a whole lot of baggage and zero playoff experience to initiate offense against one of the NBA’s fastest, most potent teams.
But here we are.
And it's not the worst thing in the world. Throughout Milwaukee's most recent eight-game winning streak, he's put up 16.9 points, 5.6 rebounds and 5.1 assists on 52.6 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. His youth and inexperience are what they are, sure, but his numbers suggest he's ready for the moment.
Even his defense looks terrific. Matchup data on NBA.com/stats says that opposing forwards are shooting 93-of-207, or 44.9 percent, this season whenever KPJ is the closest defender. He surprisingly defends forwards better than guards closer to his size, though, which might be something to watch out for against Indiana.
But according to PBP Stats, the Milwaukee Bucks are a net +5.7 in the minutes that Porter has played versus a net +1.4 when he sits on the bench. Both their offensive and defensive rating improve when he's on the floor.
Even more importantly, his chemistry with Giannis has been something to watch. In lineups where the two play together, they're a staggering net +22.5. They've commandeered some of this team's most inspired comebacks this season throughout their recent winning streak.
These are not empty calories. He’s not just running the offense by default; on the contrary, he’s actually elevating it. He’s using pace, patience and decisiveness. He’s hitting pull-ups, swinging the ball on time and giving Giannis just enough space to bulldoze. More than anything, KPJ is giving the Milwaukee Bucks a sense of control when things stall. That is not normal for a guy in his position.
Still, playoff basketball is a different beast. The floor shrinks. Defenses gameplan. Mistakes get punished. And the reality of it is that KPJ has never seen that up close — not once.
Again, this is where we are. We know that Indiana will test him, especially in the half-court. They’ll duck under screens, crowd his handle, force him to pass early and dare him to stay poised for seven games. The stakes will be unlike anything he’s faced. And it may all boil down to whether or not he can make his shots, stay composed and avoid forcing the issue when the shots aren't there.
Obviously, there's a lot of talk surrounding the updates we've gotten on Lillard's injury condition. But until we burn that bridge, the Milwaukee Bucks don’t have the luxury of waiting. Unless Lillard makes a miraculous return in the early part of the series, KPJ is the backcourt engine. He’ll be the one dribbling the air out of the ball in the fourth. He’ll be the player defenses target. And he’ll be the one tasked with proving this isn’t too big for him.
It’s a gamble. But given how much he's already given them in just a few weeks, it might be one worth making. It's going to be a wild ride; it's time to buckle up.
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