Milwaukee Bucks: 3 players who’ve exceeded expectations in 2019
The Milwaukee Bucks are off to a tremendous start to their 2019-20 campaign. Here are three players who have exceeded expectations along the way.
Heading into Wednesday night’s matchup with the New Orleans Pelicans, the Milwaukee Bucks own the Eastern Conference’s best record and the longest win streak in the NBA (15 games). Their 21-3 start exceeds expectations, even by their standards.
After winning 60 games last season, many expected the Bucks to cruise through the regular season. However, few thought it would be this easy. Their 12.7 net rating leads the NBA by a wide margin, as they sport the second-best offense and best defense according to NBA.com.
The season hasn’t been all rainbows and unicorns, however, as Milwaukee started the season 2-2. In each of those losses, the Bucks blew huge second-half leads. It was a concerning start to the season in a couple of ways. Regardless, they’ve “turned it around” and are cruising through an easier part of their schedule. A large part of their success is due to these three players exceeding expectations.
Wesley Matthews
When the Bucks brought Wesley Matthews in via free agency this offseason, they weren’t quite sure what to expect. Matthews, now 33-years-old, has suffered a few injuries that sapped him of his athleticism. He’s not nearly the same type of player he was at 27 or 28.
Fortunately, Matthews has proven why he’s a grinder. He uses his basketball IQ to impact the floor on both ends of the court. His defensive ability on the perimeter will be greatly needed when Milwaukee goes up against teams like the Los Angeles Clippers, Boston Celtics and others with elite wings.
He’s been relegated to a floor-spacing role on offense, but that’s okay. He’s knocking down 38.5 percent of his threes-right on par with his career-average. That’s exactly what the Bucks need him to do, and Matthews has answered the bell to begin the season.
Donte DiVincenzo
Donte DiVincenzo is another player who was a bit of an unknown after dealing with injuries that cost him most of his rookie season. He was also held out of Summer League for precautionary reasons.
It’s still early in the season, but DiVincenzo appears to have put his heel injury behind him. He’s playing with elite confidence and flies all over the field. His basic stats may be modest, but he impacts the game in a variety of ways including rebounding, steals and hustle plays. He could be the difference-maker the Bucks needed to get to the NBA Finals.
Next. Brown and DiVincenzo replace Brogdon Well. dark
Giannis Antetokounmpo
It’s weird to include the reigning MVP on this list, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t. Giannis Antetokounmpo has improved in a variety of ways from last season. He’s seeing the floor better, improved his three-point shot and has taken full reigns of the leadership.
Antetokounmpo is what separates the Bucks from the rest of the pack. He doesn’t take possessions off and holds his teammates to the same standard. Milwaukee has also constructed the perfect roster around the Greek Freak that maximizes everyone’s talent. He’s been better than expected, as his career-trajectory continues to point straight up.