The Milwaukee Bucks were severely short-handed as they visited the OKC Thunder on Monday night.
Every single starter outside of Taurean Prince and Andre Jackson Jr. were out, as were Bobby Portis and Khris Middleton. With so many key pieces out, Doc Rivers had to mix up his rotations significantly, calling on young players who don't typically see time, especially against one of the best teams in the entire NBA this season.
Included in that bunch were AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith, Milwaukee's rookie draft picks from this past class. Both players have spent most of their time in the G-League getting extra reps this year, but this would be an opportunity to get some legitimate action at the next level. While it came in a grueling 125-96 defeat, these two delivered pretty much what fans expected to see.
Bucks rookie showcase ups and downs in loss
After playing just 10 minutes prior to this game all season, Johnson logged 29 minutes against OKC. In that timeframe, he flashed his electric athleticism and tough shot-making ability. However, he also showed his weak points courtesy of some turnovers and a few brutal drives that didn't end with his shot dropping inside. He finished with 13 points, four rebounds, four assists and a steal.
Meanwhile, Smith dropped 12 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. He stuffed the stat sheet by doing everything, but like Johnson, he had his share of struggles. For Smith, his shot was off all night, making just four of his 15 attempts. As Smith aims to carve out a role for himself at this level, getting a handle on his shot will be a vital step in the development process.
When the final buzzer rang, both AJ Johnson and Tyler Smith, a pair of 20-year-old rookies, left the court with legitimate NBA action under their belt for the first time. While they were thrown right into the fold against one of the league's most formidable teams, they both embraced the challenge and flexed potential. Ultimately, that's a positive in a game that didn't have much to write home about.
When the Milwaukee Bucks welcome Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the rest of the key cogs back, Johnson and Smith will almost certainly head back to the G-League. There, they will earn good reps to improve upon the flaws they displayed in this game. Given their age and inexperience, no one expected these two to be perfect; it's all part of the growth process. They are right on track.
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