Porter Jr. reveals the bench unit's crucial adjustment needed with Giannis back.
The Milwaukee Bucks fell to the Golden State Warriors 120-113 on Wednesday night, and guard Kevin Porter Jr. shared some insight on what the team's bench unit needs to do now that Giannis Antetokounmpo has returned from injury.
Porter's Message to the Second Unit
After the loss, Porter spoke candidly about how the Bucks' reserves need to adjust their approach when their superstar is back on the floor.
"I think when Giannis is in the game we rely on the post-up a lot, playing off the post," Porter said. "I think we just got to remember what works when he was out, which is moving the ball, keeping it simple, kind of just motion-actions, and things like that. But like you said it's a part of him coming back and being out of the game, having that confidence in us to either take the lead, keep the lead, or keep it afloat. So we'll get better."
The comment shows a level of self-awareness from the Bucks' backcourt, and it points to an identity the bench unit built during Antetokounmpo's extended absence with a right calf strain.
Giannis and Porter Jr. Since Returning from Injury
Both Antetokounmpo and Porter have been working their way back into form this season after dealing with injury setbacks.
Porter missed over a month after suffering a torn meniscus in his right knee during return-to-play training in late October, and he made his way back to the lineup in late November.
Since his return, he has been one of the team's most productive players and is averaging 18.4 points, 7.8 assists, and 5.1 rebounds per game on the season while shooting 47.1 percent from the field.
Antetokounmpo returned on December 28 after missing eight games with a strained soleus muscle in his right calf, and he wasted no time getting back to his dominant ways.
The two-time MVP is putting up 29.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 5.5 assists per game this season while shooting an impressive 63.9 percent from the floor.
In the loss to the Warriors, Antetokounmpo led the Bucks with 34 points and 10 rebounds, but it was not enough to overcome Stephen Curry's 31-point performance.
The Warriors Loss and What's Ahead
Wednesday's defeat dropped Milwaukee to 16-21 on the season, and they now sit 11th in the Eastern Conference as they continue to fight for a playoff spot.
Golden State improved to 20-18 with the win behind strong performances from Curry and De'Anthony Melton, who added 22 points off the bench.
The Bucks struggled on the glass, getting outrebounded 53-42, and they could not overcome the Warriors' 18 made three-pointers.
Porter finished with 15 points, nine assists, and four rebounds in the loss, but his message after the game showed he understands the bigger picture at hand.
Milwaukee has won four of five games since Antetokounmpo returned, and the chemistry between the starting unit and the bench is still a work in progress.
As Porter said, it is about finding the right balance between playing through their superstar in the post and sticking to the ball movement that kept them competitive when he was sidelined.
If the Bucks can figure that out, they have a real chance to climb back into the playoff picture in the second half of the season.