The Bucks have a lot of options for their backcourt with their current roster, which features six guards who could receive legitimate playing time. Their preseason opener against the Heat revealed the promise of an unexpected pairing, which can be deployed as an unexpected game-breaker in select moments. In their minutes together, Cole Anthony and Ryan Rollins were impressive as a tandem.
Cole Anthony and Ryan Rollins complement each other perfectly
Anthony and Rollins were very effective together because of their synergy. Defensively, they appear to be two small guards whose size might limit their ability to play with each other. But against the Heat in the preseason opener, both guys were extremely active help defenders, and their joint effort on defense caused turnovers. They were also able to largely hold their own as individual defenders, which will be very important as the season progresses.
After forcing turnovers, the duo was able to push the pace and help the Bucks get some easy baskets. This defense-to-offense transition is exactly what Anthony was brought in to do, and he fulfilled his role in his limited minutes this game.
The relentless pressure from both Anthony and Rollins on opposing ball-handlers got to be too much for them to handle at times, and this can carry over into the regular season against all sorts of teams. Even against the best teams with the most talented guards, determination on the defensive end can cause mistakes that are immediately exploitable on the other end of the court.
Offensively, Rollins shined in his 15 minutes of playing time. He got up eight shots in that short time and hit four of them, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. He maintained his extreme efficiency from last season and hopes to keep that streak continuing into the regular season, even as he expects a larger role and more shots.
Anthony was not as big of an offensive factor in this one, but he only got to play seven minutes before leaving the game to get stitches for a chin laceration. He was just 1-of-4 from the field in that time, but he can definitely settle into a more effective offensive role if he's able to get into a better rhythm.
Cole Anthony and Ryan Rollins have high upside as a chaotic duo coming off the bench. In limited bursts, both will be able to play a high-motor style that wreaks havoc on the court, especially on defense. The Bucks want to play fast this season, and allowing these two to combine forces will ensure exactly that.