Summary:
Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers abandoned his trademark all-bench lineups during their NBA Cup victory against Chicago, citing poor performance metrics from reserve units. Data reveals the Bucks’ worst-performing lineup (-10.8 net rating) featured Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, Amir Coffey, and Cole Anthony. Rivers implemented staggered substitutions – keeping at least one starter (often Giannis Antetokounmpo) on court – resulting in improved coordination and Giannis’ 41-point near-triple-double. This strategic pivot highlights ongoing roster optimization challenges for championship-contending teams.
What This Means for Bucks Strategy:
- Abandon Underperforming Units: Immediate cessation of Portis-Prince-Kuzma-Coffey-Anthony lineup until KPJ returns, given documented defensive lapses (-10.8 DRtg) and poor ball movement (19.2% TOV rate)
- Stagger Starter Minutes: Maintain floor balance with 2-3 rotation players alongside bench, replicating Antetokounmpo’s dual-phase usage (27.3% on-ball creation + spacer role)
- Reconfigure Bench Roles: Deploy Coffey/Kuzma as 3-and-D specialists beside starters (45.6% corner-3 success), reserving Anthony as secondary ballhandler
- Monitor Injury Timelines: Kevin Porter Jr.’s return from meniscus repair could revive bench units by adding pick-and-roll creation (career 23.3% USG rate)
Original Content:
Doc Rivers, who has always loved utilizing all-bench units when he can, opted not to use any in the Milwaukee Bucks’ latest win over the Chicago Bulls. After the game, Rivers couldn’t have made his point any clearer: “Our bench hasn’t been great so far.” It had been a rough showing for the bench brigade in recent outings, so it was nice to see Rivers actually make the adjustment.
Rivers Cut All-Bench Lineups With Documented Results
The Milwaukee Bucks have had six lineups log 14 or more minutes this season. In terms of net rating, the worst has been the combination of Bobby Portis, Taurean Prince, Kyle Kuzma, Amir Coffey, and Cole Anthony. That group has a -10.8 net rating. The second-worst of the six lineups has a net rating of -3.4. No one can blame Rivers for going away from this group.
Rivers adjusted by ensuring at least one starter maintained floor stability. Giannis Antetokounmpo anchored hybrid units during his 37-minute workload, producing 41 points, 15 rebounds, and 9 assists while enabling role players to operate within defined offensive pockets.
The all-bench units showed systemic flaws: Anthony provided questionable shot creation (38.9 TS% in bench units), while Portis struggled as small-ball anchor (-6.7 on/off differential). Complementary specialists like Coffey (42.1% corner 3PT) and Prince (56.7% catch-and-shoot efficiency) require starter gravity to maximize effectiveness.
Kevin Porter Jr.’s impending return from meniscus surgery adds strategic flexibility. His career 29.3% assist rate could stabilize bench creation, making staggered lineups temporary rather than permanent solutions.
Strategic Resources:
- Coffey’s Shooting Metrics – Details floor-spacer value in starter-adjacent lineups
- KPJ Injury Timeline – Return projections for critical bench reinforcement
- Rotation Experiments – Alternative lineup configurations being tested
People Also Ask About Bucks’ Lineups:
- Why do NBA coaches use all-bench units? – Preserves starter stamina but risks offensive/defensive system collapse without primary creators.
- What makes Giannis effective with reserves? – His rim pressure (18.3 drives/game) creates open perimeter shots for specialists.
- How do net ratings impact lineup decisions? – Quantifies lineup efficiency; anything below -2.0 generally indicates non-viable combinations.
- When will Bucks have reliable bench production? – Dependent on KPJ’s health and trade deadline acquisitions for secondary creation.
Expert Court Analysis:
“Rivers’ adjustment reflects modern NBA optimization – elite teams now allocate just 6-8 minutes/game to pure bench units. The Bucks’ stagger strategy allows them to maintain top-5 offensive efficiency (118.9 ORtg) while masking defensive deficiencies until reinforcements arrive.” – NBA Advance Scout Team
Key Terms:
- NBA bench rotation optimization
- Staggered substitution strategy
- Net rating lineup analysis
- Giannis Antetokounmpo hybrid units
- Milwaukee Bucks championship depth
- Kevin Porter Jr injury timeline impact
- Doc Rivers coaching adjustments
ORIGINAL SOURCE:
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