After a stretch of games where he was only logging around 20 minutes on average, Milwaukee Bucks fans were begging for Ousmane Dieng to see more time. In his limited minutes, it was clear that there was plenty of potential waiting to be unearthed, and it could only be done with more playing time. As of late, Doc Rivers has found this out, and the benefits have immediately followed.
Dieng is blossoming right before our eyes
Out of the blue, three games ago, Doc Rivers decided to start Dieng at small forward and has rolled with him ever since. In those three games, the forward is averaging 29.8 minutes per game, far more than the 20.7 he had averaged since coming to Milwaukee prior to the move. The forward has not let Rivers down, playing extremely well.
Over his last three performances, Dieng is putting up 12.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.7 assists while hitting 40 percent of his triple tries on 6.7 tries per game. There's plenty to unpack there. First, Dieng is Milwaukee's third leading scorer in this three-game run, trailing only Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kyle Kuzma, who has also awakened as of late.
The shooting has been tremendous, hitting a team-high 2.7 threes per game (Bobby Portis is second on the team with two per game) over these three games. Shooting has never been Dieng's strong suit throughout his NBA career, so it's been a welcoming surprise to see him do so well in Milwaukee right off the bat. He's looked confident and aggressive, two traits the Bucks need.
None of that should overlook his passing and rebounding. Although he hasn't been a lead facilitator, Dieng has looked more than comfortable dishing the basketball, as he displayed with nine assists in the Milwaukee Bucks' win over the Utah Jazz. Rebounding has also been a major issue for Milwaukee all season, so seeing Dieng attack and be aggressive has been welcoming.
Bucks have given Dieng his dream role, and they must not take it
It feels safe to say that Ousmane Dieng has earned Milwaukee's starting small forward spot for the rest of the season. AJ Green had a great run, but he was always facing an uphill battle as a natural two guard. Now, the Milwaukee Bucks have adequate size and length at that spot in the form of an actual small forward.
As they continue fighting for a playoff spot, the Milwaukee Bucks must also prioritize the growth of their new small forward. He looks like a legitimate piece of their present and future. He's just 23 years old and is seeing the first legitimate opportunity of his NBA career. Imagine what he could do if this type of playing time remains in place.
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