Milwaukee Bucks: 5 Keys To Recent Winning Streak

Malcolm Brogdon, Starting Point Guard

One of the biggest surprises of the NBA season, Malcolm Brogdon has been the closest thing to the best member of the 2016 draft class this season can offer.

He has stepped in to provide consistent minutes for a team in the mix for a playoff berth, despite being selected after 35 other players.

For much of the season Brogdon has come off the bench as the backup to Matthew Dellavedova. Although he started a handful of games when Dellavedova missed time due to injuries, he was the clear-cut backup through 57 games.

Things changed last week, when Jason Kidd made the change to insert Brogdon into the starting lineup. That move sparked some of the rookie’s best play all season, as he immediately dropped 17 points on the Denver Nuggets.

Brogdon followed up with double figures in each of the next three contests, all wins. He drained four three-pointers in a victory over the Clippers, then did his damage from the line (5-of-6) as part of a 17-point effort in a win over Toronto.

In Monday’s victory over the 76ers Brogdon was one of five starters with a double-digit plus-minus.

Whether Brogdon can sustain his play over the next month will remain to be seen, as will his long-term role in the NBA.

But for now Brogdon is playing well and the Bucks are winning basketball games, something that bodes well for both the Bucks’ playoff chances and Brogdon’s chance to win Rookie Of The Year.