The Milwaukee Bucks are a far different team without Giannis Antetokounmpo on the court. At times this season, such as the win over the Golden State Warriors and their recent win over the Detroit Pistons, they've shown flashes that they can compete and win without their two-time MVP. However, that wasn't the case on Friday night.

In a rather pedestrian offensive effort from the Philadelphia 76ers, the Bucks committed 18 turnovers and weren't able to bring it close enough with the 76ers, as they suffered their 14th loss of the season with a 116-101 final score. Factor in an AJ Green injury, it wasn't a night the Bucks will want to remember for too long.

Doc Rivers Sends Mixed Message To Veteran Forward

One player who did have a standout game was Bobby Portis, as the Bucks veteran had 22 points on 9-of-16 shooting while having one of the better plus-minus ratings at -5. A player the Bucks look to in the absence of Giannis, even if he's coming off the bench, head coach Doc Rivers had some praise for Portis, but also called on him for improvement.

"That's what he's doing," Rivers said of Portis bringing energy and making shots. "One of the things we still got to get him to do is rebound more, and he's starting to do that. Not tonight, but overall, you can see it."

Portis grabbed just four rebounds on Friday night, all of those being on the defensive side. However, he's had some better performances, such as grabbing nine against the Pistons on Wednesday and a handful of games prior with eight or more.

"He's playing with way more energy than he's played all year, and you can see that, and that's important for us," he added.

Portis joined the Bucks in the 2020-21 season after spending a season with the New York Knicks. Since joining Milwaukee, he's become one of the most consistent bench options in the NBA and a key focal point to this team's success over the years. There's no telling what'll be next for him if the team parts ways with Giannis, as he'll become a coveted player for contending rosters.

For now, especially with Giannis sidelined, the Bucks will need him to step it up not only as a scoring option, but as a force physically who can protect the glass given that Myles Turner hasn't been strong in that aspect throughout his career.