The Milwaukee Bucks have been dominating their series against the Miami Heat so far but took a serious blow during Game 3. Donte DiVincenzo suffered a “serious tendon injury in his foot,” and is now out for the remainder of the postseason, per Shams Charania.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Donte DiVincenzo has suffered a serious tendon injury in his left foot and will miss the remainder of the playoffs, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 28, 2021
DiVincenzo played a key role in the Bucks rotation and was pickup up his play in the playoffs. Now, with DiVincenzo out of the lineup, Milauwakee finds themselves missing a key piece o their team.
The Bucks are still very much a great team without him, however, it will be more difficult with him gone. Luckily for them, Milauwakee has some depth pieces that could really help out in DiVincenzo's absence. For this team to make a deep run in the playoffs, they'll need three key players to step up their game.
Bryn Forbes
Bryn Forbes typically plays well when his number is called, but he'll have to elevate his game a tad to make up for DiVincenzo's leave. During Game 3, Forbes recorded 11 points and three rebounds, which was enough for the Bucks to get by Miami on Thursday night. In the series as a whole, he has been terrific.
BRYN FORBES CANNOT BE STOPPED
19 PTS on 7-8 shooting. Sheesh pic.twitter.com/mNgdDrNFDv
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 25, 2021
Moving forward, look for Forbes to have an expanded role in the Bucks rotation. He's a decent three-point shooter that could give Milwaukee the boost they need to sweep the Heat. He typically comes off of the bench but could find himself as the starter for the rest of the postseason. If that's the case, Forbes needs to produce like a starter and give the Bucks what they need from the shooting guard position.
Pat Connaughton
After grinding it out throughout most of his NBA career, Pat Connaughton will have an opportunity to prove his worth with Donte DiVincenzo out of the lineup. He stepped up in Game 3 and delivered 9 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist. The Bucks will look to him to bring some energy into the rotation, as Connaughton is known for his dunking abilities.
He plays hard, which really is all the Bucks can ask for. Connaughton is the type of player that will scrap for rebounds and chase after loose balls. By earning more possessions for his team and providing a spark on the fast break, Connaughton could give the Bucks what they need to push through the playoffs.
PJ Tucker
An undersized forward in the NBA, PJ Tucker is known for being deadly from deep. However, during Game 3, Tucker was nowhere in sight. He finished the game with just five points, three rebounds, and one assist. DiVincenzo is a solid three-point shooter and the Bucks need that type of player in the rotation to remain competitive. Tucker has to step up and hit the three's when his number is called, as that is the main reason the team traded for him earlier in the year.
Stellar defensive possession from PJ Tucker pic.twitter.com/gAROJmKgat
— Jackson Frank (@jackfrank_jjf) May 22, 2021
He hasn't been much of a factor in Milwaukee since getting traded, but now is the time for Tucker to step up. He doesn't have to do much outside of consistent shooting. If he can do that, then the Bucks offense will continue to thrive as it has throughout the year.