For a time, it looked as though the Milwaukee Bucks had finally attenuated Indiana's pace.
It took three games, two blowout losses and a healthy dose of social media outrage, but Doc Rivers might finally be coming around to what Bucks fans have been screaming about: Jericho Sims is the better fit for Milwaukee than Brook Lopez in this series.
In Milwaukee’s must-win 117-101 Game 3 victory over the Indiana Pacers, Sims played just two seconds fewer than Lopez — and made every bit of his time on the floor count. He posted four points and eight rebounds and continued to anchor the defense in ways Lopez simply hasn’t been able to against Indiana’s speed.
It wasn't the only adjustment he made. Gary Trent Jr. finally started at shooting guard in place of the slower and older Taurean Prince, whose hot shooting in the regular season is nowhere to be found thus far in these playoffs.
The result: Him shooting 9-of-12 on 3-pointers en route to 37 points, a total matched only by Giannis Antetokounmpo, for whom the defense opened up to account for Trent's shooting.
Jericho Sims still deserves more playing time for the Bucks
Heading into Game 3, Sims had the best plus-minus on the team through two playoff games at +4, and opponents were shooting just 3-of-12 (25 percent) with him as their primary defender — the best mark among all Milwaukee Bucks rotation players.
The eye test backs it up too: he moves better, closes space faster and isn’t being hunted nearly as much in transition. Sims' impact is a steady, quiet, but undeniable one. Opponents, whether guards, forwards or bigs, were tied down due to his size but unable to get to the rim because of his mobility.
Meanwhile, Lopez, the starter, finished with just two rebounds and two assists in his 17 minutes. The Pacers continued to exploit him in the open floor, forcing the Bucks into unfavorable switches and blowing past him in transition — exactly the concerns fans had going into the series.
Now obviously, none of this is to advocate that Rivers bench Lopez forever. He still has value in the right matchups, as we've seen in the past, but this is not one of them. Up against a hyperactive Indiana team that thrives off tempo, mismatches and movement, the Milwaukee Bucks can't afford to force an immobile drop coverage big to work out in their favor.
The point is this: Sims gives them mobility. He gives them verticality. And most importantly, he gives them a shot in this series.
Still, the question remains: How far is he willing to take this? If it were up to this writer, after all, Sims should be starting against the frontcourt duo of Pascal Siakam and Myles Turner. But one can't help but wonder if Sims' additional minutes were only due to Lopez being in foul trouble early in this one. After all, some of Rivers' worst habits still shone through, including giving minutes to the Brook Lopez-Bobby Portis pairing.
Whether Rivers fully embraces the change in Game 4 remains to be seen at this point. But for now, he's finally inching toward the adjustment fans knew had to come. We certainly hope it lasts.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis going forward.