Less minutes but more fun & production for Bucks' Antetokounmpo
Welcome to the 2018-19 edition of the Young Bucks Tracker. Each Thursday we'll either track the progress of the players who might be of help to the Bucks in the future from the Wisconsin Herd or a current member of the Milwaukee roster. We'll also give updates on the other young players from the previous week.
This is the 11th edition of the 2018-19 Young Bucks Tracker.
SPOTLIGHT ON …
Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
Your opportunity to see Antetokounmpo play has actually been lowered this season. Giannis is averaging 33.0 minutes per game -- his lowest since his second season in the NBA. He was over 35 minutes per game in each of the past three seasons, including 36.7 last year.
But that doesn't mean you aren't getting your money's worth.
Antetokounmpo is averaging 26.4 points per game -- a shade off his career high of 26.9 set in 2017-18 -- as well as 12.5 rebounds and 6.0 assists -- both career highs. Oh, also 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals. And shooting a career-high 58.0 percent from the field (previous high: 52.9 percent last year).
He's also putting up impressive numbers quickly. Against Miami, it took Antetokounmpo just 25 minutes to record a triple-double (12 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists). It's the fastest triple-double recorded in Bucks history.
It was Antetokounmpo's fourth triple-double this season, which is fifth-most in the NBA. His 13 triple-doubles since the 2015-16 season are the seventh-most.
On Wednesday night in Memphis, Antetokounmpo played only 21 minutes and still recorded a double-double, finishing with 27 points (on 10-of-14 shooting) and 12 rebounds. Antetokounmpo now has 30 double-doubles on the season, which is fifth in the NBA this season.
In Monday's win over the Heat, "The Greek Freek" passed Sidney Moncrief for seventh place on Milwaukee's all-time rebounding list. He's now just 60 behind Glenn Robinson (who played in over 120 more games for the Bucks than Giannis) for sixth place and is in striking distance this season to also pass Terry Cummings for fifth place and Andrew Bogut for fourth place.
BUCKSHOTS
-- Eric Bledsoe posted his first double-double of the new year and first since Dec. 12 when he had 24 points and 10 assists against Atlanta. The previous game, at Washington, he barely missed out, recording 18 points and nine assists. In four games last week, Bledsoe had 27 assists and just two turnovers.
-- Returning from an injury which sidelined him a couple of games, D.J. Wilson averaged 8.5 points and 4.0 rebounds over 19.4 minutes in four games last week. At Memphis on Wednesday, he had a career-high 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting (including 3-of-5 on 3-point attempts) and blocked two shots. Against Miami on Monday had eight points and seven rebounds.
-- Sterling Brown scored in double figures in three of the four games last week. He had 13 points against Miami and added a career-high six assists.
-- Milwaukee waived guard Jaylen Morris, who had been on a two-way contract and signed forward Bonzie Colson to a similar deal. Colson suited up for the Wisconsin Herd on Wednesday and had 18 points and eight rebounds.
