The Milwaukee Bucks were able to outlast the shorthanded Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night, 118-116, to secure their second win in a row and fifth in their last six games. 

In a game decided by thin margins, Bucks guard Ryan Rollins was invaluable. 

Rollins logged 18 points and 9 assists in 35 minutes — he also provided clutch baskets down the stretch. He scored seven points in the fourth quarter on 100 percent of his field goals (3-for-3, 1-for-1 3PT). Each of those shots came with less than five minutes to play: A 27-foot step back 3-pointer to tie the game, a driving floater to take the lead with 02:22 remaining, and a layup with 01:45 remaining to give the Bucks a two-possession lead.  

In recent games, Rollins and Kevin Porter Jr. continue to be a dominant force in the back court. After accounting for 19 of Milwaukee’s 39 points in Tuesday’s 128-117 win over the Miami Heat, Rollins and Porter secured the Bucks’ last eight points in the win over the Cavs

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“Yeah, I mean, it was a little different situation last night.” Rollins said about the matchup for himself and Porter against the Heat. “They kind of started to trap him, and I just got off the ball and I had an open lane. I just took it, just being aggressive and we got down here, made shots, made the right plays.”

In his fourth NBA season, Rollins is averaging a career-high 17.2 points, 5.4 assists, 4.6 rebounds — all exponential improvements from his first three years in the league. His level of play has helped the Bucks turn things around, especially in February.  

As the month enters its finals days, Rollins has averaged 21.8 points up to this point, which has helped elevate the Bucks to an 8-3 record since February began. After Wednesday’s victory over their division rivals, Rollins highlighted the Bucks’ increased confidence that has played a role in their success. 

Milwaukee has been at the forefront of a dramatic saga involving Giannis Antetokounmpo's future with the organization. The organization’s superstar has also missed over a month with a calf injury that has equated to a 13-game absence. In that timeframe, the Bucks are 8-5. 

Rollins — who is also averaging a career-high 1.5 steals per game — emphasized that the team’s success begins on the defensive end, and that high-discipline performances make it possible to gut out games. He said that putting pressure on the ball, buckling down, getting rebounds, and not fouling makes a difference.  

When it comes to offensive execution, Rollin pointed to the Bucks having a lot of capable scorers, so everyone has a chance to be aggressive and get the right shots. 

Milwaukee will close the month by hosting the New York Knicks on Friday at 7 p.m. CST.