Outside Milwaukee, many NBA fans might have forgotten that Jericho Sims exists. For the Bucks, though, he is something of a secret weapon in the frontcourt, a source of bounce and explosive athleticism they don't get from Myles Turner or Bobby Portis.
Sims may not remain a complete secret much longer. Wednesday night at Fiserv Forum, he put the rest of the league on notice with his high-flying showcase against the Pistons.
First double-double as Buck highlights Sims' growth this season
Sims' 15 points and 14 rebounds were both career highs, earning him his fourth career double-double. Soaring for lobs from Kevin Porter Jr. and Ryan Rollins, Sims looked like the poster child of a vertical threat near the basket. A perfect 7-of-7 from the field, he also filled a sore need of the Bucks' by securing four offensive rebounds.
Of course, Giannis Antetokounmpo's first-quarter leg injury was one reason Sims saw so much action against Detroit. Giannis' early exit left the Bucks short-handed in the frontcourt for the rest of the game. Sims ended up playing a season-high 30 minutes.
That said, he has quietly earned more and more of a role for himself in Doc Rivers' rotation. After barely playing at all in Milwaukee's first 11 games, Rivers has called on him regularly to give the Bucks some juice off the bench. Sims has now reached double-digit minutes in eight straight games, usually playing 15-plus.
What Milwaukee hadn't seen was the level of interior dominance on display Wednesday. Versus Detroit, Sims vacuumed up rebounds like a wood chipper and made a living in the vertical space above the rim. If he keeps doing that, his minutes will only go up.
More than a fringe role would be unfamiliar territory for Sims. In four prior seasons between the Knicks and then, last trade deadline, the Bucks, Sims never played more than 53 games or averaged over 15.6 minutes per night. That's the capacity he filled for Milwaukee last season, though he impressed the Bucks enough for them to re-sign him in free agency.
Since Rivers inserted him into the rotation, though, he has consistently done what the team has asked and sometimes more. Namely, get rebounds and inject energy on both ends of the floor.
With his lack of shooting range and overall offensive game, Sims is inherently limited at that end of the floor. Most nights, he isn't going to put up eye-catching numbers. He's never going to be a star or perhaps even a starter. The Bucks don't need him to be. They just need him to keep attacking the glass and playing wide receiver at the rim. Do that and there could be more of what fans saw Wednesday night.