Takeaways from the Milwaukee Bucks’ first bubble scrimmage

Now that Milwaukee Bucks basketball is officially back, what can we take away from their first scrimmage in the Orlando bubble?

After a long hiatus that halted the 2019-20 NBA season, the Milwaukee Bucks officially returned to the court and went straight back to business as they defeated the San Antonio Spurs 113-92 in their debut scrimmage in the Orlando bubble.

It was no surprise that Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way, tallying 22 points on 69.2 percent shooting in only 21 minutes. Khris Middleton added 16 points, five assists, and two steals while Brook Lopez also showed up on the box score as he poured in 17 points on 6-of-7 field goals himself.

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Eric Bledsoe and Pat Connaughton were the only two players that didn’t play in Thursday’s scrimmage due to their positive tests for COVID-19. Bledsoe is currently quarantined in Orlando after not traveling with the team originally and will rejoin the team once he passes the NBA’s protocols. Connaughton is still believed to be in Milwaukee at the time being.

The Bucks will be patient with their progress, but they know that Bledsoe will be an important piece toward their postseason aspirations, as could the role of Connaughton. Nevertheless, the Bucks are back to winning ways even without their starting point guard and valued rotation piece.

Some things never change for the Bucks, but there were a few notable occurrences that stood out during their anticipated first scrimmage.

Marvin Williams moving up on the Milwaukee Bucks depth chart

Before the NBA indefinitely suspended its season, forward Marvin Williams was still trying to find his groove with the Milwaukee Bucks and build that chemistry with his new teammates.

Williams was acquired off the buy-out market in February after the Charlotte Hornets reached an agreement with him to set him free, allowing Bucks’ general manager Jon Horst to bring in the veteran wing without much hesitation. It was a mutual fit, knowing that the presence of Williams would be a great addition to their locker room and depth.

Now that Marvin Williams has had more time with the team, it seems like head coach Mike Budenholzer is preparing to give Williams more minutes and an increased role off the bench. During their scrimmage today, he was one of the first players to come off the bench behind George Hill and played around 14 minutes.

In addition, Williams was chosen as the preferred backup power forward behind Giannis rather than Ersan Ilyasova, who has been the usual backup in the second unit throughout the season. Ilyasova only played 11 minutes in the scrimmage against the Spurs, most of which were in garbage time, so it seems as if Williams has overtaken his spot in the rotation.

It doesn’t seem that much of a surprise considering that Williams appears to be the better defender, but both forwards space the floor well and can consistently knock down 3s. Milwaukee prioritizes 3-point shooting and spacing offensively, so both Williams and Ilyasova can provide value off the bench, but Williams might get the nod for more minutes due to his defensive impact.

Giannis at the center position could be utilized more

Mike Budenholzer briefly tested a lineup that featured Giannis Antetokounmpo at the five during their first scrimmage, and it continues to be an intriguing idea.

With Giannis at center, it would certainly be beneficial offensively since it would form more spacing and create more opportunities that fit coach Bud’s offensive system. He can also serve as the defensive anchor at the five with his size, length, and ability to protect the paint.

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Giannis leads the NBA in Defensive Rating, Defensive Win Shares, and Defensive Box Plus/Minus, so he’s identified himself as both an elite individual and team defender. However, the Bucks have mostly dominated the paint this season mainly due to the presence of center Brook Lopez alongside Giannis.

Milwaukee leads the league with 51.7 rebounds per game and rank third with 6.0 blocks per game, and the tandem of Brook Lopez and Antetokounmpo protecting the interior is a big reason why. They simply own the paint with Brook (and even Robin Lopez) anchoring the defense with Giannis right beside him.

When Giannis is at the five, that defensive partnership is taken away, which allows their opponents a greater chance of scoring in the interior. Although that may be the case, the upside on offense could be worth the risk.

Coach Budenholzer will be faced with many different lineup decisions moving forward, but playing Giannis at the five could certainly be something that gets more attention throughout the expedition at Disney.

Giannis letting it fly from beyond the arc

During the Milwaukee Bucks’ press conference on Tuesday, Giannis stated that he’s been working hard on his 3-point jump shot every day and mentally feels good about it. He was certainly launching 3’s and feeling confident throughout the scrimmage despite struggling for the most part.

Antetokounmpo made one-of-five 3-point attempts Thursday but has previously acknowledged that missing 3s won’t stop him from continuing to shoot. The Bucks like to say “Let it Fly” and Giannis seems to be inserting that into his brain. He may feel good about shooting 3s mentally when he’s consistently knocking them down in practice, but it’s an entirely different challenge to consistently knock them down in games.

The majority of the league knows that if Giannis develops an efficient 3-point jump shot, he could become unstoppable. It’s the missing piece that continues to float around his game. It appears that Giannis will keep grinding toward improvement from the perimeter and will stay determined to let it fly against opponents.

The Bucks face the Sacramento Kings on Saturday in their next scrimmage after showing little rust against the Spurs in their first bubble scrimmage. It was an optimistic return to competitive basketball, and it’s safe to say that the Milwaukee Bucks are picking up right where they left off in Orlando.