After kicking off the preseason with two consecutive losses, the Milwaukee Bucks picked up their first win against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday.
In terms of which team utilized their primary personnel, it was a lopsided contest, as the Bucks rolled with everyone out of Khris Middleton, while the Bulls were without nearly all of their top players. That should have given Milwaukee a sizeable edge from they jump, but they actually got into a deep hole early in the contest before storming back and taking control in the second half.
The Milwaukee Bucks secured a 111-107 win against the Bulls thanks to an impressive outing from their top two stars. While there were plenty of positives, one of the brutal parts of this game was the play of Milwauke's two rookies, who, well, played like 19-year-old rookies.
The Milwaukee Bucks rookies will need time to develop
Throughout Summer League, training camp and the preseason, both AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith, the newest Milwaukee Bucks from the 2024 NBA Draft, have been flexing their potential very often. Their athleticism, endless motors and energetic play have been welcoming additions to a veteran roster that has been in need of those qualities.
With the two turning heads lately, some speculated whether or not they could make their way into Doc Rivers' rotation in 2024-25, particularly Johnson. While it's more than possible that the pair still can break the mold and get into Rivers' thought-making process, the win over the Bulls showed that these two are indeed rookies, and they need time to grow into reliable NBA players.
Johnson, coming off a strong outing against the Los Angeles Lakers, could not keep the ball rolling in this one. The point guard, logging the second-most minutes off the bench for the game, finished with just six points on an abysmal 2-of-15 shooting, including 0-of-5 from deep with three turnovers. The youngster just couldn't get anything going despite the extended minutes.
While Johnson's shiftiness and athleticism were on full display, there were countless possessions where he took it to the hoop and could not finish through the defender. With more experience, the youngster may find a better way to approach that. Perhaps he finds the open man on the outside or utilizes a smooth move to get the shot to fall. It all comes with growth and more experience.
Meanwhile, in nine minutes, Tyler Smith missed all five of his shot attempts, three of which came from behind the arc. Known as a promising shooter, Smith just hasn't found his stroke in the preseason to date, and it's hurt his performance. He did haul in four boards and tallied a block, but the prominent thing the Milwaukee Bucks consistently need from Tyler Smith is sweet outside shooting.
There's no denying the potential AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith possess. However, at 19, no one should expect them to play like seasoned veterans. Poor shooting games and stretches will happen, and that may be the biggest reason their roles are not sizeable this coming NBA season.
Being around this much talent will be useful for their growth, and it may even accelerate their timeline, but it will still take these two time before they can be relied upon nightly, in all likelihood. A nice close to the preseason from these two on Thursday would certainly provide some optimism.
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