Kevin Porter Jr.'s scoring has been a shot in the arm for the Milwaukee Bucks, but so has his pristine passing. Just ask Jericho Sims, who has emerged as a breakout candidate in the frontcourt lately as he and Porter developed some impressive chemistry. Now that Porter is set to miss time due to what the team is calling knee swelling, one has to wonder how that might impact Sims.
Sims' offense impact will be worth monitoring in Porter's absence
It's easy to play with Jericho Sims on offense. Just throw it up at the rim, and he'll catch it for a dunk. Porter has found that out, passing the ball to Sims 149 times this season. The Bucks teammate who has passed Sims the ball the next amount of times is Ryan Rollins at 112, highlighting a massive gap between one and two.
Off those KPJ passes, Sims is shooting 28-of-34 (82.4 percent). Off those passes from Rollins, Sims has just eight made shots this season. The production from Sims and Porter has been off the charts, and it felt like it was only destined to increase, with Sims becoming a legitimate offensive weapon the Bucks haven't had in terms of a lob threat outside of Giannis Antetokounmpo for years.
Since Porter went out, Sims has shot the ball just three times. The Milwaukee Bucks must find ways to keep him engaged, as his scoring had been a pleasant surprise lately. Taking Sims out of the offense would only put more pressure on other players to score, something that will be difficult as the Bucks look to survive without their second-leading scorer already.
Other Bucks guards must aim to keep Sims active
Ryan Rollins and Cam Thomas will take on more ball-handling duties in Porter's absence, and they must make it a priority to find Sims at the hoop. Rollins already has experience, throwing Sims the second-most passes he's gotten this season. Thomas is still new and hasn't shown much passing ability, but perhaps that could change as he grows more familiar with his teammates.
Last month, Sims put together performances of 17 points on 6-of-6 shooting, 11 points on 5-of-6 shooting, and nine points on 4-of-6 shooting. This is coming from a player who wouldn't dare take a jump shot. He needs other players to help him get his points, and that's fine. Porter accepted that role, and now, it's up to other Bucks to step up and do the same.
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