The Milwaukee Bucks faced yet another setback today, losing by 20 points to the NBA defending champions at home. Despite superstar forward Giannis Antetokounmpo’s best efforts in limited minutes, the team fell to 18-25 for the season and now sits on the outside, looking in for postseason play with dwindling hope. After the game, head coach Doc Rivers addressed the issues directly.

“When we have two guys like that out, with Giannis on the minute restriction, you can’t get in a hole,” Rivers told reporters, referring to injured starters Myles Turner and Kevin Porter Jr. “What happens if you get down early? Now you have to take Giannis off the floor. And it’s just going to increase the lead, and that’s exactly what happened.”

Rivers even admitted that he considered “burning his minutes in that first quarter,” a risky strategy that involves playing heavy minutes in one quarter, given that Antetokounmpo was already playing on a minutes restriction as he continued to ramp up after a series of calf and groin injuries earlier in the season.

It was a rare window into the Bucks coaching staff’s approach. With rotation depth heavily limited, Rivers only had a few options left when the Greek star sat out.

Still, Antetokounmpo played 31 minutes today, logging 19 points on super-efficient shooting, 14 rebounds, and seven assists, but the rest of the team struggled to make shots against the Oklahoma City Thunder‘s stifling defense.

The lack of depth has been an issue for the Bucks all season, and it’s one of the reasons that Antetokounmpo’s advanced numbers have skyrocketed.

According to NBA reporter John Schuhmann, the Bucks’ net rating with him on the court was an amazing +9.9 a week ago, among the highest on-court swings in the league. However, when he moved to the bench, that rating dropped to a horrid -10.7, which all added up to Antetokounmpo having the highest Rating Differential in the league at an astounding +20.6.

However, one under-the-radar player might be the key to keeping the team stable through Antetokounmpo’s bench stretches.

Pete Nance emerges as Doc Rivers and the Bucks’ silver lining

Two-way forward Pete Nance has entered the picture for the Bucks. Fans might have noticed him getting significant playing time against the Atlanta Hawks on Monday, when he looked like a solid rotation player, and that pattern continued tonight. After the game, Rivers vouched for the 25-year-old.

“He’s been really good,” the coach told reporters. “Without Scoot [Kevin Porter Jr.] out there, and then when we take Giannis off the floor, he gives us a guy that can move the ball for us and make the right decisions. So I’m very happy with him.”

Rivers pointed to Nance‘s advanced skillset for a big man, even adding that he didn’t initially realize the depth of his playing style. The forward is a solid defensive presence, rebounds well, is a good shooter, and is a willing passer.

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Rivers called him the Bucks’ “silver lining” during this recent stretch of poor play.

Tonight, Nance emerged with the only positive plus/minus on the team, sitting at +3, while recording 11 points, four rebounds, an assist, and a steal. The Bucks hope that he can help fill the hole left when Antetokounmpo goes to the bench.