Following their ugly loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers, it was clear the Milwaukee Bucks needed to have another ball-handling guard in the lineup when Damian Lillard is out.
With the guard set to be sidelined for his second consecutive game as the Washington Wizards came to Fiserv Forum, Doc Rivers called on Ryan Rollins to step in. It was quite the leap for Rollins, who had been on the sidelines for basically the past month after suffering a nasty shoulder injury. Starting for just the second time this season, the two-way guard didn't disappoint.
Ryan Rollins impresses for the Milwaukee Bucks against Washington
In 31 minutes, nearly double what he played between November 12 and this game, Rollins raised his stock mightily. The guard was active from the opening tip, doing just above everything on the court.
In the scoring department, Rollins gave Milwaukee a needed lift with Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard both out. The guard scored 14 points, shooting an efficient 5-of-10 from the floor, which included knocking in two triples; the injured shoulder looked pretty good on the jump shots.
The highlight of Ryan Rollins' night came in the closing moments when he blew past his defender and threw down a left-handed dunk. The athleticism and confidence that were on full display on that play after being out of the rotation for so long were a welcoming sight for the Milwaukee Bucks.
In addition to the scoring, Rollins helped elsewhere with three rebounds, two assists and a steal to clock in a strong night. The three turnovers weren't welcoming, but for a young player coming off of such a long layoff, this shouldn't be overly surprising. The good certainly outweighed the bad here.
This game should cement the notion that Ryan Rollins needs to be in the rotation again. He was in the process of breaking out early this season prior to the shoulder injury, and it appears that if he's given the opportunity, he can pick up right where he left off. Rollins' combination of scoring, passing and defensive intensity are all valuable attributes in this point guard rotation.
Rollins was not alone in helping the Milwaukee Bucks cruise to a 112-101 victory over the Wizards. Bobby Portis finished with a near-triple-double, pouring in 34 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Khris Middleton looked like his old self with 18 points and eight assists, while Gary Trent Jr. clocked in a 15-point effort.
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