As the Milwaukee Bucks aim to resume their title quest coming out of the All-Star break, they will have to look back at their 29-24 start to see what was working and what wasn't.
With 53 games out of the way, the Bucks have a sample size that is big enough now to pull legitimate data and draw conclusions. From that information, there were several surprises and disappointments based on expectations heading into the season. That said, let us analyze a few.
Positive - Taurean Prince's hot shooting
The Bucks knew they were adding a solid perimeter shooter when they signed Taurean Prince back in the summer. At the time, he was shooting about 37 percent from downtown for his career, so he had a decent enough shot to be an adequate floor-spacer. However, he's been on a different level since the forward set foot in Milwaukee, shooting a blistering 46.2 percent from three on the season.
Prince currently ranks second in the NBA in 3-point percentage, trailing only Memphis' Luke Kennard. The gravity of playing next to Milwaukee's stars has certainly given Prince a jolt, as he is shooting an impressive 53.6 percent on triples off passes from Giannis Antetokounmpo and 40 percent off looks courtesy of point guard Damian Lillard.
Disappointment - Giannis Antetokounmpo's free throw shooting
To be clear, no one expected Giannis Antetokounmpo to suddenly become a knockdown free throw shooter this season. However, him dropping down to a career-worst 57.7 percent from the stripe was not something many envisioned. Something has just been completely off this season, and if he does not get into a groove, it could come back to bite the Milwaukee Bucks in the long run.
Positive - Giannis Antetokounmpo's mid-range jumper
While the free throw shooting has been poor, Giannis Antetokounmpo has kept up his dominance on the offensive end by sharpening his mid-range. He currently has the sixth-most mid-range makes in the NBA this season, shooting 45.7 percent in those situations. This jumper is so important because it keeps defenses on their toes and doesn't allow them to simply pack the paint to stop him.
Disappointment - Delon Wright (Now traded)
It felt like just about every Milwaukee Bucks fan had very high hopes for Delon Wright when the team signed him in free agency. On paper, Wright was the exact type of versatile piece defensively capable of being the player who takes on the tough assignments in the backcourt. Instead, Wright never got his feet off the ground and was moved at the deadline after falling out of the rotation rather quickly.
Positive - Ryan Rollins' emergence
One of the reasons the aforementioned Delon Wright got benched and traded was the rise of young guard Ryan Rollins. The two-way player came out of nowhere, stepping up when the Bucks were hit with a string of injuries. He still doesn't have a standard contract, but it feels like he will end up inking one soon here, as he will soon be ineligible to keep playing minutes this regular season.
If the Milwaukee Bucks plan on signing Rollins, they should aim to get him on a similar deal as to what they gave AJ Green when he was on a two-way. A three-year deal worth around $6 million would be a great get for the Bucks, allowing them to secure the youngster on a team-friendly deal over the next several years as he develops further into a rotational piece.
Stay tuned for more Milwaukee Bucks analysis.