The end of the thrilling Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks matchup left us on the edge of our seats as the game unfolded in the Suns’ favor. Hours after the game, we remain on the edge of our seats as we wait to hear any injury updates regarding Damian Lillard, who is battling a calf issue.
With 10 games left in the regular season and the Bucks fighting for playoff seeding, this is the worst possible time to experience this kind of injury from a player of his caliber. The team is already trying to make up for the losses of Jericho Sims and Bobby Portis. If there is one positive sign from this challenging situation, it’s that it gives an opportunity for one of their players who has a lot to prove.
In Damian’s absence, the two guards who are seeing a boost in playing time are Ryan Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. Out of those two players, only one has had true experience in playing a big part in a team’s offense. And guess which player Doc Rivers is giving more opportunities to? For whatever reason, Rivers is giving Ryan Rollins the starting point guard role over a player who has been there and done that.
Doc Rivers needs to give Bucks guard Kevin Porter Jr. a bigger role
In the prior two seasons, Rollins never played more than 13 games in a season. The third-year player is just now starting to see more opportunities to play. However, he rarely gets the chance to play an integral role in the Bucks’ offense. There are times when Rivers decides to flat-out not play him at all. It would be wishful thinking to expect that he’s going to double his scoring production as Damian Lillard continues to sit out.
Kevin Porter Jr. has the experience needed to direct an offense and provide a huge scoring lift. He was the starting point guard for the Houston Rockets in the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons.
In 2023, he averaged 19.2 points and 5.7 assists per game. It was against this very team that he recorded 50 points and 11 assists back in 2021. Many of those points came with defensive legend Jrue Holiday guarding him. In the 2022-23 season, there were thirteen games where he scored over 25 points. Couldn’t the Bucks use that kind of production with Damian Lillard sitting out?
He has the talent to play a big role for this team. He has impressive ball-handling and scoring abilities. The Bucks don’t have many players who can create shots for themselves at a high level. If given the opportunity, Kevin Porter Jr. can be known as one of the best isolation scorers in the league. He has that kind of potential.
There is no better time to allow him to integrate into the offense with Lillard sitting out. A player like him needs to play a certain amount of time to get some established rhythm for himself and his teammates. With that in mind, the decision to give him less playing time than Ryan Rollins is baffling.
Doc Rivers doesn’t have many choices left with the Bucks
The choice of going with the more conservative choice is understandable. Ryan Rollins does have more time with the team and, therefore, has a better understanding of the system in place. However, the Bucks are in no position to be conservative. They need to desperately look for answers on how to improve this team with the playoffs looming. Simply trying to keep your head above water as you wait for Damian Lillard and Bobby Portis to return is not the right mentality to have.
Kevin Porter Jr. answers many of the questions surrounding this team. He provides youth, energy and depth. There is untapped potential with him since he served his suspension in 2023. He hasn’t been given many opportunities to prove what he’s capable of since returning to the NBA. His talent on the court is unquestionable. With the way this team is constructed, he is the best replacement for the injured Damian Lillard.
There is no better opportunity to see how he can improve this team than right now. They desperately need a boost to gain some kind of momentum as they enter the postseason. Kevin Porter Jr. can be that answer they’ve been looking for. It’s all on Doc Rivers if he’s willing to take that chance.