With Kevin Porter Jr. now firmly back in the rotation, Milwaukee Bucks head coach Doc Rivers suddenly has a new problem: how to fit breakout star Ryan Rollins in the rotation. Because he still hasn't learned the obvious lesson staring him in the face: when Rollins plays heavy minutes, Milwaukee competes. When he sits extended stretches, they fall apart.
Just look at the past three games for Rollins. He first played 22 minutes in a losing effort against the Minnesota Timberwolves on December 21, scoring 16 points on good efficiency that ultimately wasn't enough. The next game, he's bumped up to 33 minutes in a win against the Indiana Pacers where Rollins put up 23 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists on 10-of-15 shooting. Then Rivers inexplicably cuts him back to 23 minutes against Minnesota, and surprise, the Bucks lose. The correlation isn't subtle.
Doc Rivers is hurting the Bucks by limiting Ryan Rollins' playing time
The reality is simple: Ryan Rollins needs more playing time. As of late, his minutes are too up and down to help the Bucks win games, and Rivers still hasn't learned that the Bucks win when Rollins plays heavy minutes.
The advanced stats only back up what the eye test already proves to be true. Per Cleaning the Glass, the Bucks are plus-7.8 points per 100 possessions when Rollins is on the floor. He is in the 91st percentile among guards in offensive rating. That kind of scoring talent should not be playing less than 25 minutes a game.
Porter Jr. being back shouldn't reduce Rollins' role. Instead it should force Rivers to get creative with lineups that maximize both guards' strengths. Play them together in certain stretches, stagger their minutes strategically, but don't just randomly cut Rollins' time because another player returned from injury.
What makes Rivers’ handling of Rollins even more frustrating is that this isn’t a mystery role player giving you empty numbers. Rollins defends at the point of attack, plays with pace, and actually pressures the rim, which are three things this Bucks team has been starving for all season. When he’s on the floor, Milwaukee looks younger, faster, and more connected. When he’s not, the offense bogs down into stagnant half-court possessions and the defense bleeds dribble penetration. That’s not coincidence.
So none of this is about disrespecting Kevin Porter Jr. or questioning his place. Porter has earned real minutes and brings shot creation this roster desperately needs. But Rivers treating this like an either-or problem is the mistake. A competent coaching staff doesn't look at this scenario and decide it would be best to bench their best guard because the rotation feels “crowded.” They solve it. They stagger. They close with what works.
Right now, the answer is obvious: Rollins has to be part of that solution, not the casualty of it. Rivers' refusal to give Rollins consistent heavy minutes is organizational malpractice. The data proves he makes the team better. The eye test confirms it.
The answer is obvious: lock Rollins back into his previous norm of around 30 minutes per game minimum. Figure out how to make it work with Porter Jr. back. Stop overthinking rotations and just play the guys who make the team better.
The lesson's been staring Rivers in the face. Time to actually learn it before Milwaukee's season slips away completely.
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