With Damian Lillard sidelined, the Milwaukee Bucks were left with a significant hole to fill in the lineup.
The initial question going around involved who would fill Lillard's shoes to help this team stay afloat as they fought for positioning in the East. While everyone has been forced to take on a larger role, one of the main cogs helping keep Milwaukee in the hunt lately is Kevin Porter Jr. The guard has been on one unbelievable tear, which continued in the team's most recent win.
Kevin Porter Jr. helps lead the Milwaukee Bucks to another victory
Over his previous three contests, Kevin Porter Jr. had tallied 20 or more points in all of them. He made it four in a row against New Orleans, dropping 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting. It helped that he made it to the line for nine free throw attempts, connecting on seven, as he also picked up some of the slack left in Lillard's absence by getting to the line as he often did.
In addition to the scoring output, Porter was active elsewhere by tallying seven assists, five rebounds and five steals. It was the second consecutive game he's tallied five steals, a testament to how active he has been for the Milwaukee Bucks on that end. His seven assists were a team-high, and it helped that he didn't log a single turnover along the way.
Thanks to yet another big night from the reserve guard, the Milwaukee Bucks secured a 136-111 win over the short-handed Pelicans. Giannis Antetokounmpo was tremendous with 28 points, 11 boards and five assists, while Kyle Kuzma and the increasingly-hot Gary Trent Jr. poured in 17 points.
Now, over his last four performances, Porter is averaging 21.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, six assists and three steals per matchup while shooting 51.9 percent from the floor. He's been flat-out incredible, giving the Milwaukee Bucks a needed boost in the scoring, facilitating and defensive departments, especially with star point guard Damian Lillard out. What a pickup Porter has been for Milwaukee.
It's quite clear that Porter is Milwaukee's biggest X-factor outside of health, especially as long as they are without Lillard. The way he checks into each game and immediately makes an impact with his play on both sides of the court has become undeniable. These last four games highlight that he can be an ultimate difference-maker, and it comes at the right time as the NBA Playoffs inch closer.
For now, the Milwaukee Bucks have two regular season games against the Detroit Pistons left on the schedule, and getting more big performances from Kevin Porter Jr. would certainly go a long way.
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