Ryan Rollins looks like an early candidate for Most Improved Player, and the Milwaukee Bucks need him to keep his foot on the gas. With Giannis Antetokounmpo set to miss the next one to two weeks with a groin strain, Rollins suddenly finds himself in the captain's chair. It won't all fall on him, but he is the leading man now. He must guide the ship.
Rollins is destined to face a tall order without Giannis
There is no denying that Rollins has been Milwaukee's biggest surprise this season. Initially coming off the bench, Rollins was promoted into the starting five after Kevin Porter Jr. went down due to an injury in the opener. Now, due to his strong play, it would be even more shocking if Rivers sent Rollins back down to the second unit once Porter returns.
On the season, Rollins is averaging 17.4 points, 5.3 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.7 steals per matchup, blowing his previous career-highs out of the water. Surprisingly, he's been the second-leading scorer on the team, providing perfect complementary play next to Giannis. Now, if they want to stay afloat in Giannis' absence, the Bucks will ask Rollins to do even more.
The Most Improved Player race is incredibly tight, with players like Portland's Deni Avdija and Detroit's Jalen Duren making strong cases, but Rollins is undoubtedly in the conversation. If he goes nuclear in this stretch without Giannis, there's a chance he could take the lead and never look back, no matter how good the other rising players are.
Obviously, Rollins will look to score more, but the biggest aspect of his game worth keeping an eye on over the next few weeks is his passing. He was already taking on an increased portion of the workload in Kevin Porter Jr.'s absence, but he will now have to pick up the slack for Giannis, who was averaging nearly seven assists per game this season, to keep this offense running smoothly.
Of course, Rollins cannot do it all alone. Players like Myles Turner, Bobby Portis, Kyle Kuzma, and many others will also have to hold up their end of the bargain. Statistically, the Bucks have been the worst offense in the entire NBA without Giannis on the floor. The defense certainly hasn't been great, either. Now, it's time to face that weakness head-on and hopefully find a way to correct it.
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