The Milwaukee Bucks find themselves in a massive hole heading into Game 3 with the Indiana Pacers after dropping the first two games.
One prominent factor in Milwaukee's dreadful start has been the play of Indiana's Andrew Nembhard. The third-year guard has been on an unbelievable tear, averaging 17 points, 5.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and a steal per game while shooting 60.9 percent from the floor and 50 percent from deep. There is no controversy in calling the former second-round draft selection a hidden gem for the Pacers.
Seeing a second-rounder thrive on the big stage is a reminder that the Milwaukee Bucks haven't been able to find much help themselves in this regard lately, despite having their fair share of chances.
The Bucks haven't had a breakthrough second round pick like Indiana
Since selecting eventual Rookie of the Year Malcolm Brogdon in the second round of the 2016 Draft, the Milwaukee Bucks haven't had rousing success with second-rounders. Jordan Nwora, Sam Merrill and Sandro Mamukelashvili all showed potential in spurts, but they are all gone, unable to be steadily relied on when called upon.
Andre Jackson Jr., who started for a significant portion of the season before being benched entirely, Chris Livingston - the highest-paid final pick of an NBA Draft ever - and Tyler Smith are watching the playoff action from the sidelines. Meanwhile, Nembhard is lighting it up and showing that the moment is never too bright for him.
To be clear, this is not to say that all of these players are draft busts. Merrill and Mamukelashvili have gone on to be decent players in their new situations. Jackson looks like a player with a bright future if he can polish certain aspects of his game. Smith is an inexperienced rookie but has physical traits that cannot be taught. The potential for them is and has always been there.
The issue lies in the development process. With such a focus on winning, Milwaukee's coaches over the past few years have left the growth of the youngsters in the rearview. A player can only grow so much during practice and from watching games on the sidelines. Sometimes, they need to be thrown into the fire, and that's not something the Milwaukee Bucks have done too much.
The closest thing they have to a second-round success story since Brogdon is Andre Jackson Jr. The second-year guard started at shooting guard for most of the season and quickly proved to be one of Milwaukee's best defenders. However, with his offense shaky, Doc Rivers had him on such a short leash, and now, Jackson is a non-factor, watching as veteran counterparts struggle.
In a season where it's been clearer than ever that you need speed, youth and athleticism in today's NBA, the lack of development hurts for Milwaukee, especially after seeing every Andrew Nembhard bucket on the biggest stage. There is still hope that Milwaukee's current second-rounders can grow, but no matter what, they likely won't make much of a difference this season.
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