March has been a poor month for the Milwaukee Bucks, who went from having a chance at the Play-In to thinking about draft position. While this month has been full of terrifying reveals, injuries, and many, many losses, there has been at least one shining light: Ryan Rollins. The guard has played his way out of a massive slump to tally a string of impressive performances, fueling his growth.
Rollins has been on a heater since his slump
The first five games of the month featured what could have been Rollins' worst stretch of the season.
In that span, he averaged just 11.4 points, shooting 35 percent from the floor, including 29.4 percent from distance. The guard, who has been incredibly efficient this season, couldn't throw a rock in the ocean. His six assists per game were useful, but the 3.4 turnovers that came with them were far from the recipe for success. For the first time in a while, Milwaukee's guard looked stuck in the mud.
Slumps are bound to happen, especially for a 23-year-old who is playing prominent minutes and has the ball in his hands often due to injuries striking down teammates left and right. The important thing is how Rollins would respond to the adversity. In the seven games since that initial stretch, the guard has bounced back in emphatic fashion.
Since then, Milwaukee's lead guard is averaging 18.9 points and 6.9 assists. He's done so incredibly efficiently, shooting 57.3 percent from the field, including 46.5 percent from deep. The turnovers are also down, as he's notching just 2.7 in this span. With a 2-5 record in this stretch, there hasn't been much to cheer about, but seeing Rollins fight his way out of this slump has been rousing.
Rollins' development is the goal down the stretch
With their playoff hopes all but over, Milwaukee should be looking ahead to next season and getting their young pieces as much time as possible. With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kevin Porter Jr. both out of the lineup, there are plenty of opportunities to handle the basketball and fuel the growth of a few players who might not typically get touches.
Of course, Rollins will be the main contributor here. He has been let off the leash entirely and looks like a star in the making over these past few games. As he continues trying to will Milwaukee to wins, just like he did against the Phoenix Suns on March 21 with 26 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, Rollins' growth as a player will reach new heights.
In a flat-out disastrous March, the Milwaukee Bucks will take any victories they can get.
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