Newcomer Cole Anthony knew that he'd have to play more defense than ever before upon signing with the Milwaukee Bucks. Through training camp and the preseason, Anthony has shown just how committed he is defensively, and he's taken plenty of beatings due to how physical it has been. After the guard left Milwaukee's preseason game due to injury, Doc Rivers joked about his defense.
"He's good. He's been getting beat up. I told him, 'When you play defense, this stuff happens.' He's playing defense, and he's feeling it. It's good for him."
Cole Anthony is playing hard-nosed, physical defense
Defense has never been one of Anthony's greatest strengths. A 6-foot-2, 185 lb. guard, Anthony has always been one of the smallest players on whatever NBA court he's performing on. At times, players have hunted him to seek a mismatch, trying to use their size to their advantage for a bucket. It's an issue the Bucks have had with other undersized guards, such as George Hill and Damian Lillard.
Doc Rivers and the Bucks are clearly trying to make sure that won't happen too much in Milwaukee with Cole Anthony. In today's NBA, one-way players are a thing of the past. If someone wants to play, they must be able to hold up on both ends. It's why the Bucks invested so much in Myles Turner, a player they are hoping gives them a jolt on both offense and defense.
Given that they willingly handed him a deal, the Bucks clearly believe Anthony can buy in defensively. The guard's success starts with his ability to pressure ball-handlers and hound them the full length of the court. It was only for a few minutes due to his injury, but Anthony looked committed to that role in the opener against the Heat, making his presence felt as much as possible before he had to exit.
As for Cole Anthony's injury, he suffered a chin laceration that required stitches. However, Rivers said that the point guard will be good to go. This likely won't be a long-term issue. That's great, as Anthony must spend the rest of the preseason building chemistry with his brand-new teammates and getting comfortable in his new defensive role before the lights get brighter.
There has been plenty of chatter about how much of an X-factor Anthony can be for this Bucks team, and it all starts with his ability to hold up defensively. He can score all he wants, but if he's giving up as many or more points on the other end, it won't matter much.
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