Report: Matthew Dellavedova Out 3-4 Weeks with Ankle Injury

Love him or hate him, one thing all Milwaukee Bucks fans agree on is that Matthew Dellavedova plays point guard, and that his reported weeks-long absence will further test the team’s backcourt depth.

Delly had badly rolled his ankle late in Milwaukee’s Sunday victory over the Brooklyn Nets, but was able to walk back to the locker room under his own power. Many fans were preoccupied with a teammate’s tweaked ankle; Giannis Antetokounmpo also suffered an ankle twist in that fourth quarter, but was quickly reported to be “fine” and that the injury wasn’t a concern.

As Milwaukee’s third point guard following the Bledsoe trade, Delly’s role was reduced in the rotation, and everybody was happier for it. In 19.0 minutes on the year, Delly is averaging only 4.4 points and 3.8 assists per game, but shoots 0.377 from deep and 0.920 from the free throw line, giving him a certain level of comfort with the coaching staff (as long as he’s able to keep up elsewhere on the court).

The timing of this injury may not be worse for the Bucks; Malcolm Brogdon is already out for 6-8 weeks with a quad injury, and Eric Bledsoe has been in a slump while dealing with an ankle ailment of his own. Without any additional depth at the position, two-way player Xavier Munford will be spending a lot of time with the pro club, and Jason Terry and Sean Kilpatrick will likely see their ball-handling duties increase as well.

Luckily, the Bucks can boast significant playmaking elsewhere on the roster. Giannis is an excellent passer and routinely sets up his teammates, and both Khris Middleton and Jabari Parker are comfortable moving the ball as well. Joe Prunty and company will need everybody to pitch in for the Bucks to get past this rash of point guard injuries as they continue to chase a higher playoff seed.