Giannis gets back into high-scoring mode
Welcome to the 2017-18 edition of the Young Bucks Tracker. This year, we're taking a different tact. With Milwaukee now having a G League franchise, the Wisconsin Herd, each Thursday we'll either track the progress of the players who might be of help to the Bucks in the future 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 14th edition of the 2017-18 Young Bucks Tracker.
SPOTLIGHT ON …
Forward Giannis Antetokounmpo
Antetokounmpo began the year on a scoring frenzy, topping 30 points five times in October and 12 by Dec. 13, which was his 25th game of the season. But after posting four such games in January, he had just two in February and none since Feb. 15.
That all changed this past week.
"The Greek Freak" poured in 35 points in Sunday's win over Philadelphia and reached 30 on Wednesday against Houston.
Those marked the 19th and 20th times this season that Antetokounmpo scored at least 30 points. Only six players in the NBA have more games with 30+ points: New Orleans' Anthony Davis (25), Cleveland's LeBron James (24), Oklahoma City's Russell Westbrook (23), Phoenix's Devin Booker (21), Houston's James Harden (21) and Portland's Damian Lillard (21).
In Bucks history, only Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (six times, ranging from 29-62 games) and Marques Johnson (24) have more 30-point games in a season than Antetokounmpo, while Michael Redd also had 20.
In the Bucks' other two games last week, Antetokounmpo recorded double-doubles (24 points, 10 rebounds and 18 points, 12 rebounds), giving him 32 double-doubles this season -- matching his total from 2016-17. Only three Bucks have had 40 double-doubles in a season: Abdul-Jabbar, Vin Baker and Elmore Smith.
And, oh by the way, one last note on Giannis' 30-point efforts: Milwaukee is 14-6 in those games. You hate to say someone has to carry a team on his back, but maybe that's just what the Bucks need Antetokounmpo to do.
BUCKSHOTS
-- He's no young Buck but perhaps Jason Terry has discovered the fountain of youth. We noted the other day why his 36-minute game was so special -- and then he went out and played 30 minutes again Wednesday. In four games last week, Terry's box score plus/minus was a +56. No one else on Milwaukee had higher than a +14, and that was Tyler Zeller, who played in only two games. Terry had a positive box score plus/minus in all four games and has done so in six of his last seven contests.
-- Rookie Sterling Brown had career-high 15 points against the Rockets on Wednesday, his fifth double-digit scoring game and first since Jan. 29. His 26:42 of court time was the most he played since Jan. 28.
-- Newcomer Shabazz Muhammad, who is just 25, made his Bucks debut on March 5 and played seven minutes. He didn't score, but did have a box score plus/minus of +8.
-- Marshall Plumlee played in three games with the Wisconsin Herd last week, averaging 9.0 points and 8.0 rebounds. Xavier Munford, like Zeller on a two-way contract with the Bucks, appeared in one game and scored 27 points in 41 minutes.
-- D.J. Wilson played in one game for the Herd on March 3. He was on the floor for 38 minutes and compiled 22 points and nine rebounds.
-- Brandon Jennings watch: The former Bucks top pick now playing with the Herd had 19 points, eight assists and five rebounds in Wisconsin's first game last week and 25 points and 10 assists in its last game. However, in the middle contest he missed all 10 of his field-goal attempts and didn't score, although he did have 10 assists.