Bucks' three-headed monster is the one nobody expected to see

Entering the season, the Milwaukee Bucks had their positional strength laid out for them. A frontcourt of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Myles Turner, and Bobby Portis profiled as perhaps the best in the league. Unfortunately, Giannis has been hurt. and Turner has underwhelmed. Portis is what he is, and without the Greek Freak to compensate, more prone to being exposed on defense. 

Post-trade deadline, an unexpected triumvirate has emerged in Milwaukee. Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and Cam Thomas put their collective powers on display by combining for 79 points Friday night in New Orleans. They have formed a fearsome hydra that not even Bucks fans, let alone opposing defenses, anticipated. 

Bucks backcourt is a beast that caught everyone off guard

Rollins is one of the best stories in the NBA, not just on Milwaukee's roster. Sure, fans anticipated a leap, but not an Olympic long jump. Since a mid-January lull, Rollins has been even better lately. In six games this month, he is averaging 22.7 points and 5.7 assists on 52 percent shooting from distance. Against the Pelicans, he drained a career-high seven threes en route to a team-lead-tying 27 points.

Kevin Porter Jr. is a similar case. He has taken an expected increase in production and thrust it full throttle, to the tune of leading the team in assists and steals per game. He's also second in scoring average. Although lately he can't hit the broad side of the barn from distance, that wasn't an issue last game. Porter went 10-for-15 from the floor and dished out seven dimes to just one turnover. 

Dating back to January, he's reined in the giveaways. His assist to turnover ratio is nearly three-to-one. After a rough end to last month, Porter is back over 20 points per game in February on a tick below 50 percent shooting. 

He and Rollins have been a dynamic two-way duo most of the season. Against New Orleans, they combined for six steals and three blocks. While Thomas has worked hard defensively, he's there for his offense. On that side of the ball, he has elevated the Bucks to another level as the third member of their backcourt brigade. 

In just 21 minutes, he dropped 27 bench points on the Pelicans via on an efficient 11-for-17 from the floor. In his last three games, Thomas is averaging 24.3 points per game on 56 percent shooting. The second unit looks like a different animal altogether.  

So does the team's scoring upside as a whole. Giannis, when he comes back, will be Giannis. He's a known commodity, and when healthy, more dominant than ever. What no one counted on was that the Bucks would be able to pair with him a battalion of guards as exciting as the current group has been. Whatever that looks like, it will be worth the watch.