After Giannis Antetokounmpo, the three-highest-paid Milwaukee Bucks this season are Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, and Bobby Portis. Despite those three frontcourt players eating up a significant amount of the payroll, they've suddenly taken a backseat in Milwaukee's rotation lately. Why? Well, because Jericho Sims has been that much of a spark off the bench.
Milwaukee's go-to big man lately has been... Jericho Sims
Over Milwaukee's last nine games, Sims is averaging 26.2 minutes per game, coming in at fourth on the team behind Ryan Rollins, Kevin Porter Jr., and AJ Green. Sims has overtaken Kyle Kuzma (25.8), Myles Turner (25.7), and Bobby Portis (22.5) to become a legitimately impactful part of Milwaukee's rotation amid a 7-2 stretch of games.
It's been an up-and-down year for the big man, but Sims has earned his keep lately. In this span, he's averaging 8.3 rebounds (team-high), 7.4 points, 2.3 assists, and 0.8 blocks per game. Coming off the bench, he's given the Milwaukee Bucks a sizeable shot in the arm in so many different facets that Doc Rivers has warmed up to him mightily.
Where to begin? The rebounding. Sims has been fantastic on the glass on both ends. He boasts 10 box outs in this span, which is double the next closest player (Portis). Offensively, he is averaging 2.4 rebounds per game, helping Milwaukee constantly generate second chances and score more points, a glaring weakness for this team for much of the season.
While the rebounding has helped, so has the scoring ability. For a good chunk of the year, Sims was a liability on offense, never looking for his own shots. Lately, he's been incredibly aggressive. He's doing all of his damage close to the hoop, and it's working, given that he's shooting 81.1 percent from the floor over these nine games, the NBA's highest mark among players averaging at least four shots.
Sims hasn't been perfect, as his foul trouble has held him back at times, but he's undeniably been a massive spark for the Milwaukee Bucks lately. Even when Giannis Antetokounmpo returns, he must be in the rotation in some way, shape, or form. His athletic ability, lob-catching, and rebounding have all been far too valuable to send him back to the sidelines.
Given that Rivers has been playing him over some of the highest-paid players in town, it feels like he understands that.
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