Maker is making bid for more playing time

Atlanta – Thon Maker was a happy young man after the Milwaukee Bucks’ victory in San Antonio on Tuesday night.

       The 7-foot-1 rookie was elated for the team’s success but also gratified that he played a role in it, getting a career-high 13 minutes and contributing five points to Milwaukee’s 109-107 victory over the Spurs at the AT&T Center.

       The coaches had prepared Maker because they knew Giannis Antetokounmpo could be absent with illness. Antetokounmpo played only 9 minutes and Maker made the best of his time on the floor.

       “It was just me getting an opportunity,” Maker said. “I had to step in and show what I’ve been working on in practices. Show what I’ve learned while I was waiting.”

       Maker has stayed engaged in the games from the sideline, calling out plays as they are happening.

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       And he has worked hard in practice, staying late for instructional work with the coaches and one-on-one drills against Miles Plumlee.

       Maker also played 4 minutes in the Bucks’ 116-108 victory over Miami on Friday night. He received a huge ovation from the BMO Harris Bradley Center crowd when he entered the game, and a roar went up when he snuffed out a three-point attempt by Heat guard Goran Dragic.

       Bucks coach Jason Kidd said Maker deserves more playing time. The No. 10 overall pick in the 2016 draft has great potential but also is playing behind veterans Greg Monroe and Michael Beasley, who are coming off the Milwaukee bench and playing extremely well.

       “He works extremely hard and we felt he could be rewarded by giving him some playing time,” Kidd said. “He responded in a positive way and now we’ve got to find him a little more playing time through the games we have coming up here.”

       The Bucks play the Atlanta Hawks in a Sunday road matinee (2 p.m. Central) before heading home for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee against Philadelphia on Monday (2:30 Central).

       Maker sank a three-pointer on his first shot against the Spurs and stayed active defensively.

       “He’s going to be a rookie; he’s going to make mistakes,” Kidd said. “But he means well. He wants to win and he wants to help the team.

       “In practice, he does a really good job. In San Antonio, he did a good job on both sides of the ball. His heart, his intent is right.”

       The Bucks have a bit of a strange situation with their second-round pick, point guard Malcolm Brogdon, playing much more than their first-rounder. But Brogdon is 24 years old and has much more high-level experience than Maker, who grew up in Australia and played at prep school in Ontario before being selected by the Bucks.

       “I think it’s patience,” Kidd said. “We have quite a few guys at Thon’s position.

       “We’re a little thin in the backcourt and Malcolm has taken full advantage of that and has done quite well with his time on the floor.

       “Things change in this league, as we all know. And when you are prepared, good things happen.”

       Maker has sat out in 22 games due to coach’s decision but already is a fan favorite. He’s a 7-1 forward that can shoot the three-pointer, block shots and rebound. Fans see a future star, in the same way that 6-11 Giannis Antetokounmpo has ascended after being the No. 15 pick in the 2013 draft.

       The native of South Sudan said he was not too nervous about playing against the Spurs and knowing he would get a chance for meaningful minutes.

       “It just zooms things in,” Maker said. “You see them much clearer because you know you’re going to be a part of it. You’ve still got to keep your mind sharp.

       “Physically, do what you’ve got to do to be ready, also.”

       Maker said he often comes back in the evening for extra preparation at the team’s training facility.

       “Against Toronto and Washington they did the same thing,” Maker said. “They (the coaches) just told me, ‘Be ready to go. Watch some film.’

       “We go through it step by step and the night before the game we walk through it and see the personnel.”

       It all could lead to big things for Maker, even if his minutes are limited this season.

       “We know he can shoot. We expect him to make every three,” Kidd said with a laugh. “He works hard on his game and that’s one of his strengths, his ability to shoot the ball.

       “His first shot (against San Antonio), he’s not afraid to shoot. He let one go and he made it. It’s not like we were all surprised he made it because that’s what he works on.”

       Maker said he played loose against the Spurs.

       “I saw the stat where it was our first win since ’08 (in San Antonio),” Maker said. “When you see a stat like that, you always try to go up against it. Try to prove it wrong and switch it the other way around.”