Doc Rivers has always had a knack for all bench lineups, so it's not surprising that he deployed one in the Milwaukee Bucks' latest blowout loss. For 11 minutes, Rivers rolled out Cam Thomas, Pete Nance, Kyle Kuzma, Jericho Sims, and Bobby Portis. It was a strange combination, but after the game, Rivers made it clear that he was a fan of what he saw from those five.
"I like it. I mean, they were a plus. Look at the plus-minus."
Milwaukee's five-man bench unit is likely sticking around
To give him some credit—it's rare these days—Rivers is right about the plus-minus. This group was a +2 in its 11 minutes on the floor. That could win a game. It was actually the starters who were stuck in the mud for most of this game, as they posted a -16 plus-minus against the Atlanta Hawks. This unit helped give Milwaukee a chance.
Yet, that was one game. This type of lineup isn't built to last long-term. First off, it's a massive bunch. Four of the players are power forwards/centers, with the shortest player, Kuzma, being listed at 6-foot-8. The Bucks welcomed Kuzma back into the rotation to use him as a shooting guard. Nance has been a good fit, but he's not a small forward. It's just a clunky fit all around.
After the loss to Atlanta, Rivers pointed out Milwaukee's poor defense and said that they may have to roll out bigger lineups to try to get stops. This group fits the description, boasting plenty of height and length that could give offensive players trouble. It makes some sense on paper, but when other teams go small, question marks could arise.
If the group continues posting positive ratings, sure, roll with it. However, the odds of this five-man unit holding up long-term are slim.
Bucks caught between a rock and hard place with injuries
Part of the reason Rivers has been forced to use this lineup is the sudden absence of Kevin Porter Jr. The guard is set to miss some time due to knee swelling. With Porter out, Ryan Rollins, who had been set to come off the bench in a puzzling move, has been thrust back into the starting five, taking away what could have been a key piece in the second unit.
Even then, there are ways to break up the lineups so there aren't four power forwards/centers on the floor at the same time. Give AJ Green some run with this group. Pair up Cam Thomas and Rollins to see what they can do together. There are ways around it, but for now, it feels like Rivers will stick with this group until it falters, or potentially even beyond that.
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