3 keys to Bucks evening up NBA Finals in Game 4 vs. Suns

2. Unleash Bobby Portis

Among the key pieces during the Bucks’ playoff run this postseason has been the energy and execution of Bobby Portis off the bench. Milwaukee will need more of the same to tie up the series in Game 4.

In the Game 3 blowout, Portis finished with 11 points on 4-of-11 shooting, along with 8 rebounds and 1 assist in 18 minutes.

Aside from traditional box score numbers, what Portis brings each time he steps on the floor is hard to match, and there’s no statistic for it. You can hear chants of “Bobby” from the crowd almost immediately, and whenever he gets a bucket or grabs a board, the entire Fiserv Forum erupts. He knows exactly how to play to the crowd and bring the energy to his teammates as well.

Having a player on the bench who can bang inside and be an all-around weapon in general will take a lot of the pressure off Milwaukee’s big names. For the most part, they’ve gone with an eight-man rotation of Portis, Jeff Teague and Pat Connaughton playing important minutes off the bench.

Each of those three coming in will need to bring a spark on the bench if the Bucks are going to win on Wednesday, and they’ll be led by Portis.