Injury issues have been an unfortunate early storyline for the Milwaukee Bucks this NBA season.
In addition to Khris Middleton still being sidelined after offseason surgeries, the Bucks were without another one of their All-Stars in their most recent outing. Damian Lillard sat out in Milwaukee's game against the Toronto Raptors due to a concussion. With Lillard out of the lineup, Doc Rivers was forced to shake up his rotations, including the starting five.
This shakeup included Ryan Rollins earning the first start of his NBA career, while AJ Green earned his second, with these two making up the backcourt. Both players logged 12 points in the matchup, sinking four 3-pointers apiece to help propel the Bucks to victory. Unfortunately, Rollins exited this game early due to injury after a hard fall, immediately grabbing his shoulder.
Bucks' breakout candidate Ryan Rollins offers injury update
After the 99-85 Milwaukee victory, Rollins was optimistic about his health, saying, "It's not really a serious injury, so I'll be back next game anyways."
Of course, Rollins can say this now, but it remains to be seen if that will actually be the case, as the guard will have very little time to recover. The Milwaukee Bucks are set to conclude a back-to-back Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons. It may all depend on how he's feeling when he wakes up, but at the bare minimum, it's welcoming to hear that it's at least possible he won't miss any time.
In extended minutes lately, Rollins has shown legitimate signs of potential. Not only has he been one of the more active defenders on this team, but he's also provided solid shooting, having sunk four of his seven 3-point tries against Toronto. He looks like a genuine breakout candidate for this team, and given their need for youth, athleticism and hustle, they need him back as soon as possible.
In his first career start, Rollins was a major factor for the Bucks, finishing with 12 points, five boards, an eye-popping five steals and three assists in 22 minutes before departing. The Bucks may have a hidden gem on their hands, so let's hope he doesn't miss much, if any, time after this injury, especially with starting point guard Damian Lillard dealing with a concussion.
If Lillard or Rollins have to miss further time, keep an eye on Delon Wright to see an extended role in this rotation. After sitting out the past few games, he returned to the rotation vs. Toronto, making his presence felt with five steals, three rebounds and two assists off the Milwaukee Bucks' bench.
For now, the early word on starting guard Ryan Rollins' injury status is rather positive.
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