Earlier today, according to ESPN reporter Jamal Collier, Bucks center Brooklopez has been allowed to participate in team practice, the 33-year-old veteran center, this season only played one opener game with the Nets for the Bucks, that game he played 28 minutes, 8 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal and 3 blocks, and then underwent surgery for a back injury, has been absent so far. After Dallo's surgery, coach Budenholzer also simply put Portis in the position of starting center, who also fulfilled his mission to play a career-best performance of 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds this season.
But Portis after all, the height is limited, only 2 meters 08 he is mostly in the cameo center position, really to meet those 7 feet of big men, Portis is indeed a little weak, but 2 meters 13 of the big Luo, the past few seasons are the Bucks' unyielding starting center, he and Portis play are quite similar, can be inside, but also has a hand to open up the space of the outside three-point projection ability, and The advantage of the big Luo is his height, weight and veteran experience.
2 meters 13 height plus 127KG of weight, so that he in the position to such as Embiid, Jokic this kind of inside and outside the top inside line is not downwind, the reason why the Bucks were able to finally win the championship last season, is because Da Luo with his many years of veteran experience to make the opponent's main interior line Ayton eat up, even if the first two games Ayton has the absolute upper hand, but the next few games are trapped in inexperience, but also lost to Da Luo's "old spicy".
In addition to the imminent return of Lopez, the other two backcourt players, Connaughton and George Hill, can basically usher in a comeback before the end of the regular season. Connaughton has missed the Bucks' last seven games due to hand injuries, and as the Bucks' top scorer on the Bench this season, Connaughton averaged 10.1 points and 4.4 rebounds per game for the Bucks this season, shooting 40.7 percent from three-point range and hitting as many as 2.3 three-pointers per game. His return also allows the Bucks to have a "reliance point" on the bench, which can help the Big Three to reduce pressure in a timely manner.
As for the veteran George Hill (who played for the Bucks in the 18-19, 19-20 seasons), this season is also heavily used by coach Budenholzer, playing for the team in 41 games, the old Hill can average 7 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game, the 35-year-old is still worthy of trust in key moments. However, on January 29, due to a neck injury, Hill was also able to serve as a spectator on the sidelines of the stadium in many subsequent games. If the main rotation of these two backcourts can catch up with the playoffs, the defending champions who are fully assembled are likely to launch a violent impact on the third crown in team history.
As of now, the Bucks are temporarily ranked third in the East with a record of 39 wins and 25 losses, and there is a 3-win difference from the Heat at the top of the table, of course, for them, the goal is definitely not as simple as the regular season, how to go further in the playoffs and hit the championship again is extremely important. With the Big Three retained this season, the Bucks currently have defensive players such as Glenson Allen, Jevin Carter, Ibaka, and Bembry, and if several injured soldiers can return in the playoffs, the Bucks really won't be afraid of any opponent, after all, with last season's championship winning experience, they already have this "ability to resist pressure".