There are plenty of stats you can pull up to measure Bobby Portis’ impact on the Milwaukee Bucks, or perhaps his lack thereof, considering how polarizing his presence on the team has grown as of late. His rebounding, his shooting touch, his bench scoring — they all show up in the box score and are as central to the legend of Bobby Portis as his forced isolations and defensive lapses.
But ahead of the playoffs, it’s something else that’s turned heads inside Milwaukee’s locker room.
“He wants it. He wants it bad,” Giannis Antetokounmpo said of Portis in his recent media availability with reporters. “And I love having somebody like that next to me.”
The context: Bobby Portis missed 25 games earlier this season. That kind of layoff — the uncertainty, the rehab, the silence — tends to change a player. And by all accounts, it lit a fire under Portis.
“He’s been way more vocal lately,” Giannis continued. “And obviously I understand that like when you don't play for 25 games, you miss the game. When you come back, you don't take it for granted. You want to be around your teammates. You want to win. You want to show everybody like, hey, I'm here to be the difference maker.”
Bucks' Bobby Portis is ready to turn the narrative around in the playoffs
Bobby Portis has always been something of an emotional leader for this Bucks team, and regardless of what you might think of his on-court production, you at least have to concede to that. When his suspension took effect, that energy was unsurprisingly absent, and the team looked flat on both sides of the ball for extended periods of time. His passionate and abrasive personality has always made him someone his teammates can count on to light a fire in the team.
But this time around, it’s clearer than ever that this is not just talk. Portis' presence has been felt in group chats after games, in practices, on flights — even in moments when nothing’s at stake. He’s leaning into leadership in ways the team hasn’t seen from him before. And for a Milwaukee Bucks squad that's leaned heavily on role player stability, that kind of internal push matters.
Portis has always been that engine for the second unit. But now, he’s starting to look like something more: a veteran voice who understands what’s at stake and isn’t afraid to speak on it. His words carry weight because he’s backed them up with effort, energy and production since returning.
This writer has admittedly always been one of the first to be critical of Portis' lapses, especially earlier on in the season. But Antetokounmpo's rousing endorsement of his frontcourt partner should mean something heading into their first-round series against Indiana.
Against the Indiana Pacers this season, Big Bob was a key part in two season series outings, both of which were wins. He's scored 15.5 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists per game against the Pacers on 50 percent shooting from the field and 50 percent from deep. Here's hoping he can replicate those performances in the playoffs.
With Damian Lillard’s status still totally uncertain (though signs are pointing to him missing the first round altogether) and the Milwaukee Bucks preparing for a brutal first-round test against the Pacers, every edge matters. This is one of them. Giannis sees it. The locker room hears it. And if Bobby Portis keeps backing it up, the rest of the league might feel it, too.
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