Highlighting Milwaukee’s play thus far in Vegas.
The Milwaukee Bucks began their summer league play this past weekend in Las Vegas squaring off in a battle of the first and second picks in their first game against Andrew Wiggins and the Cavs, and then took on the Phoenix Suns. While they lost both games, there was a lot to see from the young squad.
Jabari Parker
The second pick in the draft brought lots of hype to the Bucks summer league and in the first game looked the part. Parker struggled early to settle into a rhythm rushing up some shots and missing two of his first four free throws. The early desire to impress wore away however, and Parker started to make a positive impact when he stopped trying to do it all himself. After an impressive fast break assist, Parker made several NBA moves on drives, switching hands in midair on one finish and spinning to a finger-roll and an and-1. Parker especially excelled on the fast break. Some instances he would find open men, in others, he sped by defenders (including Wiggins) for some pretty finishes. His interior passing was impressive as was his post game until he started tiring late in the game. He still needs to condition to an NBA level and had a rough start to the game, but ended up with 17 points and 9 boards getting to the line 11 times.
In his second game against the Suns, Parker had similar struggles to the first, but they were amplified more throughout the course of the game. Early on, Parker had turnover struggles and mental mistakes, from travels to catching the ball while out of bounds. Like the last game, he settled down as the game continued but at the end, would finish with six turnovers. Parker showed off a bit of his clutch gene in the first quarter when he finished a layup off a full court pass at the buzzer for his first points, but was also stuffed by Plumlee. He went aggressively after boards but also would lose his man on defense. An up and down game for Parker, he ended with 11 points and 11 boards. Parker definitely displayed his potential but he needs to get conditioned and work on defense. Overall, he looks like he will make a definite impact for the Bucks.
Giannis Antetokounmpo
Giannis started his second season with a bang in his first summer league game against the Cavs. He noticeably looked a bit bigger in the shoulders, though he is still skinny, and when the game started, he blew everyone away. Last season, Giannis was tentative on offense, unsure of his ability. Not anymore. Giannis started the game strong defensively forcing turnovers and interrupting passing lanes and looked impressive covering Wiggins. Then his offense clicked in. Giannis attacked the rim off the dribble, spinning and on one drive, palming the ball while taking two enormous strides from the 3-point line to the rim. He looked confident in his handles and his shot, making a pair of 3’s right in front of Anthony Bennett’s face.
While he did way more offensively, he still wasn’t a ball hog, creatively passing with one hand or without looking to create shots for teammates. At times, he was the best player on the court. Giannis finished with 17 points and six rebounds and while he still struggled with turnovers (five), he looked like a new, improved, and confident player.
The Greek Freak’s second game was similar to his first. Offensively, he remained confident, shooting the ball well, using a new spin move to his advantage, and aggressively getting to the line. More than just getting to the line, he converted seven-of-eight free throws. Turnovers still were a bit of a problem early in the game, but he turned it around late and finished with just three. Defensively he was everywhere, interrupting shots and doing well guarding one on one. Giannis finished his second game with 16 points and six rebounds.
Nate Wolters
Wolters was a surprising success last year for Milwaukee and continued the trend in summer play. In game one against the Cavs Wolters controlled the offensive tempo, distributed, and shot the ball well, everything you want from your point guard. His passes were creative, highlighted by a cross-court, one-handed find, setting up Chris Wright for the 3. Early on while others were still getting in the offensive groove, Wolters was ready to go and helped carry the team early with dribble-drives ending in layups and floaters and passes to get others going. As the game continued, Wolters contributed with a smooth midrange stroke. He ended with seven points and a deceiving one assist.
In game two, Wolters continued to look like a veteran. He excelled as a distributor, this time finishing with four assists, but did more with his shooting touch than in the first game. Against the Suns, Wolters had the floater working, scoring multiple times with this shot over taller opponents. His shot looked as fluid as in game one, and he ended with 16. Wolters looks to be a great backup for Milwaukee with a strong feel for the game offensively and a noticeable defensive presence.
JuJuan Johnson
Johnson started against the Cavs and played 23 minutes for Milwaukee. Offensively, he had a larger impact than his seven points showing. Johnson had a finishing touch around the rim that was often hard to see in summer league, displaying it on a tip-in off a miss and a put back, but also when he had his back to the basket. His post-up game was better than expected and his spin and hook shot were both impressive. Defensively, Johnson did a solid job, including an especially athletic block at the rim. He also finished with four rebounds.
Against the Suns Johnson didn’t start but had an eerily similar stat line, ending the game with seven points, five rebounds, and one blocked shot. Johnson again had an impact on the offensive end, showing off his skills in one set where he cut on a smooth give and go, but when the pass was late, was able to post up his man and finish with a hook. The touch inside was complemented by his aggressive rebounding and defense, including some athletic rebounds and a block. Johnson may not be a roster player yet, but his summer league play so far has been looking good, and he may be in the running for a roster spot come fall.
Johnny O’Bryant
The second-round pick out of LSU is the other Milwaukee draft pick playing in summer league, as Damien Inglis sits with an injury. There had been rumors O’Bryant had been dominant in practice but in game one, he couldn’t show much. Only playing 12 minutes, O’Bryant contributed eight points and three rebounds but showed some unexpected flashes.
While on the court, his presence was felt on both ends. His athleticism and size were on display in his rebounding and defense, but on offense, he showed a nice touch. In one play, he drained a mid-range jumper over a defender with a very smooth stroke. When he was down low, he showed off his post up game as well as some effective interior passing. O’Bryant made a definite impact in limited time.
Against the Suns, O’Bryant got the starting nod and doubled his playing time. Roster spot? Maybe. O’Bryant was emphatic when pulling down boards, aside from Parker and Giannis he was the best rebounder on the team, finishing with five.
Defensively his size was felt and he was a major physical presence inside but he was still aware, one time drawing a charge from Plumlee. On the offensive end, O’Bryant showed off some moves on the block ending with eight points, and his court vision was on display with a give and go to Wolters. O’Bryant proved himself in his first couple games and could be another surprisingly successful second-round pick by Milwaukee.
Chris Wright
Chris Wright appeared in eight games with the Bucks last season and hopes to make the roster again for next year. Against the Cavs, Wright came off the bench to play 18 minutes. His impact on the game wasn’t always felt, but he had a plus/minus of +6 for the game, the highest on the team. Wright wasn’t a defensive liability, but contributed more offensively. He had a few key plays in which he scored on the fast break, and one time had a beautiful left-handed finish on a drive. Against the Cavs Wright played well, but was nothing special.
Against the Suns Wright played 20 minutes, two more than the last game, but had less of an impact. Offensively, he finished with five points including a wicked dunk that he drew a foul on and missed, but could have been one of the best of summer league. Defensively against the Suns Wright did more than against the Cavs, contributing with two blocks. Wright did not play poorly, but compared to other up and coming Bucks, he may find himself without a roster spot after his average summer league play so far.
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