The last week of the 2020-21 NBA regular season has arrived, and the Milwaukee Bucks are still trying to find their top form while maximizing team chemistry, execution, and health.
They are currently 43-25, third in the Eastern Conference, and one game behind the Brooklyn Nets for the No. 2 seed. If the regular season ended today, Milwaukee would meet the Miami Heat in a first-round postseason matchup that would headline a sparking rematch from last season’s bout.
As the playoff picture begins to take shape though, it seems as if the Bucks are only worried about themselves and not their seeding. Due to the lack of urgency from the team in recent games and the back-to-back MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo’s previous statements regarding not being concerned about where they end up in the standings, the focal point in Milwaukee seems to be getting players into top form, both physically and mentally, before the postseason hits.
Not much went well for the Bucks during the blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night, but a positive to take away was watching Donte DiVincenzo continue to perform well and find his rhythm again. It’s safe to say that he’s finally balling back into form, which should satisfy Milwaukee much more than playoff seeding at the moment.
As the Milwaukee Bucks enter the last week of the NBA regular season, Donte DiVincenzo has seemed to regain his swagger back after a rough stretch.
After a long rough stretch of games, Donte DiVincenzo has seemed to regain his swagger back and it’s happening at just the right time with the postseason approaching shortly. Donte has been known for his confidence and has been praised for it throughout his career, so it’s no surprise that he’s beginning to find it again.
He flew off to an outstanding start to the season in his advanced role as the permanent starting shooting guard for the Bucks, but his performances began to dip in efficiency and consistency as the second half of the season progressed. Questions even loomed over whether Donte’s starting spot should be replaced by the likes of Bryn Forbes, who has been on fire lately.
DiVincenzo never lost his place in the starting lineup, but his minutes did decrease when he wasn’t meeting expectations during that ineffective stretch. It was only a few weeks ago that it seemed like a legit possibility to see his minutes take a massive drop in favor of Forbes, Pat Connaughton, and even the experience of Jeff Teague.
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However, Donte has revived himself at the perfect time, and it’s pretty much an assurance that he will continue to be the starting two-guard and retain close to his 27.4 minutes per game as the Bucks enter a highly anticipated postseason with the Larry O’Brien trophy on their minds.
Over the last four games, the 24-year-old combo guard is averaging 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game. The most noteworthy of those games was his efficient performance during the thrilling win against the Washington Wizards last Wednesday, where he tallied 19 points, four assists, and five 3’s on 75.0 percent field goals in just 20 minutes.
That contest could have been the trigger for DiVincenzo ultimately regaining his prominent swagger back, especially due to the fact that he was averaging an abysmal 5.4 points on 33.3 percent shooting over the previous five games before that. Nevertheless, Donte is shooting with pure confidence again and contributing with efficiency in his role on both ends of the court.
Last night against the Spurs, the third-year slasher recorded 12 points, six assists, six rebounds, three 3’s, and a block. Donte is averaging 10.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals on 41.8 percent shooting from the floor and 37.7 percent from beyond the arc on the season.
The Milwaukee Bucks will need Donte DiVincenzo at his best throughout the playoffs if they want to make a deep run, and there’s certainly more optimism now that he’s regaining his rhythm and confidence. We’ve seen DiVincenzo shine bright by playing with swagger on the big stage during Villanova’s NCAA championship run in the 2018 Final Four, and as he continues to shine at the moment, he must continue to do so for this title-contending Milwaukee Bucks team.